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Life  in  Alaska. 


LETTERS   OV 


MRS.  EUGENE  S.  WILLARD. 


1^ 


EDITED    BY    HER   SISTER, 


M 


RS.    EVA    McCLINTOCK, 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

PRESHYTERIAN   BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION, 

,334   CHESTNUT  Si'REET. 


1    '  -  .-■.'> 

"  *.  --^ 


■•J.,)  U9  -^ 


COPYRIGHT,    188/),    BY 

IIIK    TIUISTEKS    OH    IIIK 

PRF.SBYTERIAN    HOARD   OF   I'U.HMCATION 


AIL  Kicirrs  Ki-.si-.RyiiD. 


Westcott  &  Thomson, 
Stereotypgrs  and  Electroty(>ers,  Philatia. 


Life  in  Alaska 


-Mmmmmmmmm^mr^^ 


TO 


SHELDON    JACKSON,    D.D., 


Alaska's  Chiff  Missionart, 


ITS    MISSIONARIES'    CHIEF    FRIEND, 
THESE   LETTERS   ARE   (JRATEEULLY    DEniCATKIJ 
^y    THE  ^UTHOR, 


INTRODUCTION. 


THE  world  is  often  tempted  to  think 
that  the  age  of  faith  has  passed  away. 
In  the  midst  of  the  greed  of  money-mak- 
ing-, the  rivalries  of  social  display  and  the 
selfishness  of  pleasure-seeking,  even  the 
Church  herself  is  almost  surprised  at  high 
heroic  sacrifice  for  the  cause  of  Christ  and 
the  salvation  of  men.  Perhaps  this  may 
partially  account  for  the  pleased  surprise 
with  which  many  have  perused  these  let- 
ters as  they  have  come  fresh  from  the 
front  of  missionary  operations  on  the  re- 
mote borders  of  our  own  land.  But  as 
the  great  Head  of  the  Church  is  "  the  same 
yesterday,  to-day  and  for  ever,"  so  his  he- 
roic spirit  of  sacrifice  springs  to  life  eter- 
nally beautiful  in  the  heirs  of  his  grace. 
Surely,    in    nothing   is   the    spirit   of    our 


6  /A'/'A'ODl/('//(>X. 

blessed  Master  more  clearly  evinced  than 
in  flyin<r  on  the  wings  of  love  to  the  abodes 
of  wretchedness  and  ministering  that  mer- 
cy of  which  it-  has  been  truly  said, 

"  It  clroppoth  as  the  gciilli;  rain  fii»m  heaven 
Upon  the  place  beneath.     It  is  twice  idessed  : 
It  blesscth  him  that  gives  and  liim  tliat  takes." 


The  letters  which  form  this  little  collec- 
tion were  written  with  no  thought  of  pub- 
lication, but  they  have  so  touched  the 
hearts  of  all  who  have  read  them  as  to 
secure  a  warm  personal  interest  in  the 
writer  and  a  private  circulation  quite  un- 
usual in  correspondence  so  modest.  So 
stimulating  has  been  their  influence  in 
praying  circles  and  mission  bands  that 
many  have  expressed  the  desire  to  have 
them  in  a  more  permanent  form,  and  to 
see  them  launched  on  a  career  of  wider 
usefulness. 

If  in  some  cases  these  letters  are  found  to 
be  fragmentary,  let  it  be  remembered  that 
they  were  written  in  scraps  of  time  snatched 
from  a  life  of  more  than  usual  care  and 
weariness,  sometimes  in  the  rnidst  of  great 


/N'JKODUCrfOX.  7 

excitement,  sometimes  in  the  midst  of  the 
most  vexatious  interruptions.  Their  pow- 
er is  largely  due  to  their  ardess  simplicity, 
but  they  furnish  unconscious  pi'  ures  of 
the  homely  necessities  generallv  mcident 
to  the  missionary's  lot.  Th'  >  throb  widi 
the  loyalty  of  Christian  devotion  and  are 
redolent  with  the  perfume  of  native  re- 
finement and  womanly  grace.  As  we  read 
on,  our  hearts  are  touched,  our  sympathies 
are  enlisted,  criticism  is  disarmed  and  pre- 
judices melt  away ;  we  are  in  no  mood  to 
demand  the  felicities  of  an  elaborate  rhet- 
oric, and  we  are  quite  content  that  the 
Christian  wife  and  mother  shall  tell  the 
story  of  her   loving   service    in    her   own 

way. 

The  very  circumstances  of  the  case  for- 
bid that  the  writer  of  these  letters  should 
now  give  her  personal  care  to  their  re- 
vision. The  collection  and  the  publica- 
tion of  these  "voices  of  the  heart"  have 
been  the  work,  not  of  their  author,  but 
of  others,  who  have  gladly  assumed  not 
only  the  labor,  but  also  the  responsibility, 
of  this  litde  venture. 


Wll«0i»i|l»jjfli,uj'' 


.jLlii 


8 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  desire  to  know  something  of  a 
writer's  personaUty  is  very  natural  to  all 
readers,  and  yet  delicacy  forbids  that  we 
should  say  much  of  the  living.  Mrs.  Wil- 
lard  was  born  in  Nev/  Castle,  Pennsylvania, 
May  3,  1853.  Her  maiden-name  was  Car- 
oline McCoy  White.  Very  early  in  life  she 
showed  a  decided  disposition  for  missionary 
work,  formed  a  missionary  society  of  little 
girls  and  delighted  in  reading  the  stories 
of  missionary  labors  and  trials.  In  her 
eleventh  year  she  had  a  protracted  sick- 
ness, during  which  all  hope  of  recovery 
was  given  up  by  her  friends,  and  by  her- 
self all  desire  to  live.  In  this  condition 
she  lay  waiting  and  longing  day  by  day 
to  depart  and  be  with  Christ,  but  after 
being,  to  all  appearance,  dead,  she  re- 
vived and  rapidly  recovered.  The  assur- 
ance, given  to  her  by  her  parents,  that 
the  Lord  must  have  work  for  her  to  do, 
reconciled  her  to  life,  and  while  yet  too 
weak  to  visit  her  companions  she  ad- 
dressed them  with  letters  on  the  subject 
of  religion.  When  she  was  sufficiendy 
recovered  to  be  carried   into  the  church, 


INTRODUCTION. 


she  publicly  made  a  prolvjssion  of  her  faith 
in  Christ. 

Owing  to  delicate  health,  her  education 
was  not  so  full  and  varied  as  her  parents 
desired,  but  she  was  fond  of  reading  and 
acquired  much  valuable  information  whilst 
receiving  a  sweet  and  gentle  culture  under 
the  sheltering,  fostering  care  of  a  refined 
Christian  home.  Having  a  taste  and  a 
talent  for  drawing  and  painting,  she  early 
began  to  take  lessons  under  the  instruc- 
tion of  a  teacher  in  her  native  place.  Her 
art-studies  were  afterward  pursued  in  the 
academy  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  the  Na- 
tional Academy,  in  New  York,  and  later 
still  she  took  lessons  in  portrait-painting 
in  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania. 

In  September,  1874,  she  became  the 
teacher  in  drawing  and  painting  in  the 
IJniied  Presbyterian  College,  at  Mon- 
movth,  Illinois,  where  she  spent  two  years. 
In  Mrs.  Willard's  graphic,  picturesque  style 
many  will  detect  one  of  the  fruits  of  her 
artistic  studies. 

On  the  24th  of  April,  1879,  she  was 
married   to    Mr.   Eugene   S.  Willard,   and 


'-'^iSiltJmiitxtiiiUXi-.-. 


\Mi^oiii>tii^tli&)rffr- 


10 


liXTRODUCTION. 


in  the  summer  of  the  same  year  she  ac- 
cepted, with  her  husband,  a  position  as 
missionary  teacher  in  Alaska  under  the 
Board  of  Home  Missions  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church.  Of  her  subsequent  expe- 
riences in  trial  and  triumph,  in  joy  and 
sorrow,  the  following  letters  may  best  tell. 
They  are  not  published  as  detailing  any- 
thing peculiar  in  missionary  experience— 
for  many  others,  doubtless,  are  called  to 
pass  through  similar  trials — but  because 
they  set  forth,  with  a  graphic  power  rare- 
ly surpassed,  the  daily-recurring  scenes  in 
those  "  dark  places  of  the  earth  "  that  are 
"  full  of  the  habitations  of  cruelty." 

G.  N. 


<D 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Mrs.  Willari)  and  Daughter  Carrik  ....  Frontispiece. 
Prksbytkrian  Church  and  McFarland  Home,  Fort 

Wrangki.l,   Ar.AsKA 23 

Carvkij  Imi'lemknts 37 

Carved   Imim.kments 41 

CHH.CAT    lUSKETS    AND    IIoRN   .Sl'OON 45 

Haines 51 

Interior  of  ".  Chilcat  House 54 

Map  of  Chilcat  Mission 99 

Chilcat  Man 103 

Chilcat  Mother  and  Child  going  to  Church  .  .  .  147 
Chilcat   Woman    Sewing,  with    her   Bark  leaning 

against  the  Wali 151 

'    An    Alaskan  Snow-storm 175 

Mai'  of  South-eastern   Alaska 191 

CiiANNi'.i.s  in  South-eastern  Alaska 203 

Chilcat    Man    in    Native    Costume,   with   Wooden 

Hai',  Stone  Mortar  and  Carved  Staff  ....  253 

Totem  Dish  of  Cinnamon  Hear  or  Hoots  Tribe,  with 

Table  Mat 256 

II 


1 2  /A  L  VS Th'A  770 NS. 

Chilcat  Shawl  made  from  the  Wool  ok  the  Wild 
Mountain    Goat,   and    Covered   with    TtrrEMie 

Emulems 257 

Medicine-Men  Graves 259 

Sitka  IIaruor 265 

Main  Street,  Sitka 269 

Sheldon  Jackson  Instiiute  Huildinc 271 

Alaska    Mountain  Scenery 291 


rnmrn 


Life  in  Alaska. 


M 


vSheldon  Jackson  Institute, 

Sitka,  Alaska,  June  21,  i88r. 

Y  DEAR  PARENTS :  You  will  be 
surprised  that  we  are  still  in  this 
place,  when  by  our  last  letter  you  heard 
that  we  were  to  sail  in  a  few  days  for 
Chilcat,  and  it  is  difficult  for  the  moment 
to  go  back  and  see  things  as  you  see 
them  and  know  exactly  w/ia^  to  tell  you, 
vhen  so  much  more  than  is  possible  to 
tell  in  this  slow  way  comes  crowding  upon 
the  mind.  We  were  under  orders  to  stop 
cither  at  Fort  Wrangell  or  Sitka  for  a 
month ;  so  we  came  on  to  Sitka,  and 
were  brought  to  the  hospitable  home  of  Mr. 
Alonzo  E.  Austin  and  his  family,  who  are 
in  charge  of  the  mission  here.  We  have 
found  them  most  devoted  and  worthy  peo- 

13 


H 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


W- 


pie,  who  warmly  took  us  to  their  hearts 
and  home. 

On  Friday  last  the  steam-launch  of  the 
United  States  ship  Jamestown  returned 
from  the  mines  with  the  word  that  there 
was  war  in  Chilcat ;  that  two  men  had 
been  killed  and  several  wounded,  all  on 
one  side ;  that  fighting  would  go  on  until 
they  were  even  ;  that  the  steamer  Favorite 
would  bring  further  word,  and,  if  neces- 
sary, a  squad  of  United  States  marines 
would  be  detached  for  duty  there. 

The  Favorite  came  in  on  Monday  with 
word  that  the  fighting  was  still  hot.  Eight 
had  been  killed — three  men  of  rank  on 
one  side,  for  whom  many  more  lives  on 
the  other  side  were  demanded.  The  trou- 
ble began  through  drunkenness,  they  hav- 
ing procured  a  barrel  of  molasses  for  Jioo- 
chinoof^'  Commander  Henry  Glass,  of  the 
U.  S.  S.  Jamestown  (and  a  book  would 
hardly  suffice  to  tell  of  the  good  work  he 
has  done  here  in  the  last  year),  waited  on 
us  to  say  that  we  could  not  possibly  accom- 
plish anything  by  going  up  there  now ;  he 

*  An  intoxicating  liquor  made  by  the  natives  from  molasses. 


i  M 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


15 


wished  to  have  no  more  compHcations,  and 
he  much  desired  to  have  us  quietly  wait  in 
this  place  till  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson  should 
arrive. 

This  morning  the  soldiers  left  for  Chil- 
cat.  The  head-chief  was  away  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  trouble,  and  it  is  said  that 
he  expresses  himself  as  so  much  grieved 
and  disgusted  that  he  wished  to  come  to 
Sitka  to  remain  until  -it  is  settled,  lest  Cap- 
tain Glass  should  hold  him  responsible  for 
the  difficulty.  The  Indians  here  expressed 
great  sorrow  about  it.  We  are  waiting 
now  for  Dr.  Jackson,  by  the  next  steamer, 
who  is  going  to  bring  with  him  the  lum- 
ber and  materials  for  our  building.  In  the 
mean  time,  our  hearts  and  hands  are  full 
and  we  are  praying. 

Mr.  Willard  preached  to  the  whites  last 
Sabbath.  Yesterday  he  helped  to  put  in 
potatoes  for  the  boys'  school  which  Mr. 
Austin  has  started,  and  which  I  must  tell 
you  more  about  at  another  time.  He  has 
made  a  very  nice  bedstead,  and  expects  to 
make  quite  a  number  of  things  in  the  way 
of  furniture  before  we  start.     As  there  is 


i6 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


no  minister  here,  he  will  fill  the  place  while 
we  remain. 

June  2Ji., — Mr.  Willard  officiated  at  the 
funeral  of  the  wife  of  Chief  Anahootz  this 
morning,  as  the  chief  consented  to  have  a 
Christian  burial.  It  was  a  very  sad  death. 
Captain  Glass  had  forbidden  the  making 
or  <;elllng  of  hoochinoo,  and  appointed  this 
chief  and  several  other  Indians  as  police- 
men ;  so  that  the  town  is  not  at  all  as  it 
used  to  be,  but  much  more  orderly.  On 
last  Sabbath  several  Indians  clubbed  to- 
gether and  bought  a  gallon  of  gin  and 
alcohol  and  drank  until  this  one  of  the 
party  died ;  her  body  was  carried  home 
amid  great  excitement.  They  hold  the 
one  whom  they  detailed  to  carry  the  whis- 
ky to  them  responsible  for  the  death,  and 
will  not  tell  who  sold  the  stuff,  except  that 
it  was  a  white  man. 

It  is  the  custom  of  the  Alaskans  to  com- 
pel the  murderer  to  stay  beside  the  corpse 
until  it  is  finally  disposed  of;  then,  in  a 
council,  they  decide  how  many  "  blankets  " 
he  shall  pay.  If  he  fails  to  pay  the  price, 
he  is  killed.     Captain  Glass  heard  the  case 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


17 


on  Monday,  and  allowed  them  to  carry  out 
their  custom  so  far  as  having  the  Indian 
Charley  stay  with  the  corpse,  but  said  that 
he  would  decide  what  penalty  each  should 
pay.  This  morning  Charley  heard  that 
they  (the  Indians)  were  going  to  ask  a 
great  many  blankets — more  than  he  could 
possibly  pay — and  said  that  he  would  kill 
himself:  he  would  not  be  arrested.  He  is 
a  very  large,  powerful  man ;  so,  to  save 
him  from  himself  and  from  his  people, 
the  captain  sent  him,  with  a  note,  to  the 
guard-house,  and  there  they  put  him  in 
irons.  We  do  not  know  what  is  to  be 
done. 

The  captain  sent  for  Mr.  Willard  to  at- 
tend the  "  pow-wow  "  (council)  on  Monday, 
and  afterward  asked  him  to  attend  to  the 
funeral  service.  He  and  his  officers  were 
in  attendance,  together  with  other  whites  ; 
it  was  held  in  the  house  of  Anahootz. 
Some  hymns  were  sung;  then  Mr.  Wil- 
lard spoke  of  death — what  it  is — the  judg- 
ment, and  the  individual  accountability  of 
each  soul  for  the  deeds  done  in  the  body : 

"  No  shifting  of  guilt  then  !      As  Captain 
2 


"*! 


i8 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


Glass  punished  each  man  for  his  own,  and 
not  another  man's,  sin,  so  God,"  etc.  Mr. 
Austin  followed. 

Then  the  friends,  many  of  whom  had 
been  knitting  and  sewing  during  the  ser- 
vice, took  leave  of  the  body,  after  which  it 
was  carried  out  through  an  opening  made 
by  the  removal  of  some  boards  from  the 
side  of  the  house,  as  they  have  a  super- 
stition against  taking  a  corpse  through 
the  usual  door  of  a  house.  They  lead  out 
a  dog  before  the  coffin — I  suppose,  that  it 
may  receive  the  thrusts  of  the  evil  spirits 
that  beset  the  way,  and  prevent  sickness 
from  coming  into  the  house. 

Night  before  last  a  squaw  came  running 
to  the  guard-house  with  the  word  that  she 
had  been  out  to  Indian  River  (about  a  mile 
distant),  when  she  was  seized  by  ten  Chil- 
cats,  who  meant  to  kill  her  to  avenge  the 
death  of  the  man  of  their  tribe  who  killed 
himself  in  the  guard-house  heie  ;  but  when 
they  found  that  she  was  not  of  the  family 
of  that  unfortunate  man's  wife,  they  let  her 
go  and  were  lying  in  ambush  for  some  Sit- 
ka Indians.     Upon  hearing  this  story,  the 


V 

% 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA.  I9 

officers  ordered  the  Indian  police  to  recon- 
noitre ;  but  they  were  afraid,  and  would  not 
go.    The  Chilcats  are  the  terror  of  all  other    y 
Alaska  tribes. 

We  cannot  tell  how  much  truth  there  is 
in  this  woman's  story.  We  have  had  no 
recent  word  from  the  Chilcat  country — 
none  since  the  Favorite  left,  and  she  is  not 
expected  back  before  the  California  (mail- 
steamer)  leaves  Sitka.  .  .  . 

SiiEKDON  Jackson  Institutk, 
Sitka,  Alaska,  June  29,  1881. 

Mv  Dkar  FiJENDs :  For  many  days  I 
have  wished  for  the  opportunity  of  writing 
you  something  of  the  good  work  in  thi» 
dark  land.  The  opportunity  comes  this 
morning  while  Baby  sleeps.,  and  now  I  re- 
alize how  difficult  it  is  to  select  from  so 
large  a  collection  just  the  facts  that  will  be 
the  most  interesting  and  convey  to  you  the 
truest  impressions.  This  is  a  wonderful 
country  in  many  respects.  During  the 
summer  months  it  is  literally  a  land  where 
there  is  no  night — except,  indeed,  the  night 
which  has  so  long  reigned  over  the  minds 
and  hearts  of  this  people.     The  sun  sinks 


20 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA, 


below  the  mountain-top  at  about  nine 
o'clock  p.  M.  I  sat  sewing  last  ni^^ht  till 
near  eleven,  and  then  retired  by  daylit^ht. 
It  is  "dusk"  only  for  about  one  hour  at 
midniorht,  and  then  the  broad  day  streams 
in  again.  One  could  read  all  night  without 
a  lamp.  We  are  so  near  the  north  pole 
that  at  this  season  but  little  of  the  sun's 
circuit  is  invisible.  It  rises,  I  think,  at 
about  one-sixth  of  the  circle  from  its  s'=**' 
ting.  I  believe  that  from  the  height  of 
Mount  Saint  Elias  we  could  see  the  sun's 
course  around  the  horizon  without  a  mo- 
ment's shadow.  In  winter  here,  we  are 
told,  the  days  are  correspondingly  short : 
they  have  sunset  at  two  or  three  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon. 

The  mountains  which  enclose  this  pic- 
turesque village  are  white  with  snow,  while 
on  the  table  at  my  side  stands  a  bowl  of 
the  most  beautiful  berries  I  ever  saw — the 
salmon-berries,  which  are  apparently  a 
cross  of  the  strawberry,  which  they  re- 
semble in  color  and  form,  and  the  black- 
berry, which  they  are  more  like  in  seed, 
cells  and  flavor.     In  the  last  pardcular  all 


m 


IJFR   IN  ALASKA. 


21 


m 


•<-:f- 


fruits  that  1  have  eaten  here  are  inferior, 
having  a  peculiar  wild,  woody  taste ;  but  I 
beUeve  that  by  culture  much  better  vari- 
eties could  be  obtained. 

Since  writing  this  I  have  eaten  salmon- 
berries  which  are  as  large  as  crab-apples 
and  very  delicious.  In  appearance  they 
are  certainly  all  that  could  be  desired. 
We  had  lettuce,  too,  from  the  garden  here, 
yesterday — very  nice — and  radishes,  peas, 
cauliflowers,  cabbage,  potatoes  and  turnips  ; 
and  many  other  things  are  growing  beau- 
tifully. 

We  stopped  but  two  hours  in  Fort 
Wrangell  on  the  way  here ;  so  I  found  no 
time  to  devote  to  the  sketch  of  the  mis- 
sion buildings  which  Dr.  Jackson  requested 
for  his  paper,  there  was  so  much  to  be  seen 
and  heard. 

The  town  of  Wrangell  is  a  mud-hole  and 
a  wharf — at  least,  it  must  have  been  only 
that  before  the  missionaries  made  it  a 
home  also.  Subtract  the  Home  and  the 
little  signs  of  life  through  the  tow  i  which 
are  clearly  its  emanations,  and  it  is  a  scene 
of  desolation  such  as  would  nil  your  hearts 


22 


LIFE    IN  ALASKA. 


■I'll 


with  a  new  appreciation  of  the  spirit  which 
sustained  our  aear  Mrs.  McF'arland  when 
the  departing  steamer  left  her  the  only 
white  woman  in  the  place.  She  is  the 
general,  and  Miss  Maggie  J.  Dunbar  is 
her  able  under-officer. 

The  Home  is  a  large  and  plain  but  sub- 
stantial building  with  double  porch  to  the 
front,  looking  out  over  the  lovely  harbor 
and  its  green  islands,  locked  in  by  the 
snow-capped  mountains  which  almost  crowd 
the  little  town  into  the  water.  The  twenty- 
eight  happy  girls  were  grouped  on  the  up- 
per porch,  and  made  a  sweet  picture  in  the 
light  of  the  setting  sun — a  picture  the  de- 
tails of  which  grew  upon  us  as  we  mingled 
among  them,  and  which  was  not  complete 
without  the  shadow  of  the  Indian  ranche  in 
all  its  squalor  and  sin.  After  showing  us 
through  the  house,  which  is  surprisingly 
complete  in  its  appointments,  even  to  the 
bath-room  (with  ready  faucets)  out  of  the 
dormitory,  and  bake-  and  wash-house,  a 
sitting-room  for  the  girls  and  a  sick-room 
— which,  happily,  was  unoccupied — the  girls 
were  called  into  the  schoolroom  to  sing  for 


im. 


'% 


mi 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


25 


US.  I  am  sure  that  no  one  could  have 
heard  their  sweet  voices  without  wishing 
to  have  a  share  in  this  work.  The  chil- 
dren looked  so  proud  and  happy !  They 
are  very  quick  and  bright. 

Mr.  Young  s  had  with  them  on  their  trip 
the  little  Hydah  girl  of  about  ten  years 
whom  they  adopted  from  the  Home.  I 
was  sketching  a  little  on  deck  one  day, 
and  she  instantly  became  inspired.  She 
would  sit  in  perfect  rapture  looking  at 
the  mountains,  sky  and  water.  At  one 
point  of  particular  beauty  she  exclaimed, 
with  her  hands  on  her  breast  and  her  face 
all  aglow,  "  Oh,  my  heart  gave  a  great 
shake !"  At  another  place  Mrs.  Young 
told  her  to  sketch  the  scene  at  sunset. 
She  sat  with  an  expression  of  countenance 
worthy  a  great  artist.  Gazing  over  the  shin- 
ing deep  with  softened  eyes,  she  simply 
said,  'T  can't  draw  glory."  This  child's 
father,  now  dead,  was  the  finest  artist 
and  silversmith  on  the  coast.  Beautiful 
work  in  carving  and  weaving  is  still  done. 

The  Home  is  an  industrial  school,  the 
housework,   sewing  and  everything  being 


26 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


done  by  classes  in  turn.  It  has  been 
named  "The  McFarland  Home."  The  In- 
dian women,  by  the  way,  sew  beautifully. 

After  we  came  up  here  I  gave  my  Stick- 
een  girl,  Kittie  (whom  I  brought  with  me 
from  the  McFarland  Home),  some  hand- 
kerchiefs to  hem,  some  with  the  portraits 
of  our  President  and  Vice-President,  which 
I  intended  as  presents  to  the  Chilcat  chiefs, 
and  I  know  that  few  white  girls  at  her  age 
would  have  done  the  work  so  well.  I  also 
cut  out  a  new  dress  for  her,  and  she  made 
the  skirt  very  nicely.  By  the  last  steamer 
she  sent  to  •'  Dear  Mrs.  McFarland  "  a  let- 
ter which  I  wish  you  could  have  seen,  writ- 
ten in  a  plain  hand,  in  simple  yet  dignified 
language,  with  not  a  word  misspelled  ex- 
cept my  name. 

There  are  a  good  many  flowers  about 
the  house,  and  between  the  Home  and  the 
very  neat  church-building  is  quite  a  nice 
garden.  On  the  other  side  of  the  church  is 
the  little  cottage-home  of  those  consecrat- 
ed missionaries  Dr.  W.  H.  R.  Corlies  and 
wife.  Mrs.  Corlies  is  the  daughter  of  a  mis- 
sionary to  China,  and  a  more  beautiful  soul 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


27 


than  hers  I  never  recognized.  I  loved  her 
from  the  first.  Dr.  Codies,  although  not  a 
graduate  of  either  medical  or  theological 
school,  has  studied  in  both,  and  was  or- 
dained as  a  missionary.  They  came  out 
in  June  of  1879,  from  Philadelphia,  with 
their  one  little  boy  of  eight  or  ten  years ; 
they  have  now  a  dear  little  baby-girl. 
These,  with  the  Rev.  S.  Hall  Young  and 
wife,  make  up  the  mission  force  at  Wran- 
gell,  where  is  the  only  organized  evangel- 
ical church  in  Alaska. 

Here  in  Sitka  a  great  work  has  been 
done,  and  is  going  on.  In  looking  over 
the  field  I  am  impressed  with  two  things — 
the  wonderful  results  already  accomplished 
and  the  infinitely  greater  work  yet  to  be 
done.  It  is  word  by  word  and  word  upon 
word  ;  it  is  in  some  sense  like  the  work  of 
the  blacksmith,  under  whose  hammer  the 
iron  constantly  cools.  Over  and  over  again 
it  must  go  to  the  forge,  and  the  hammer 
must  know  no  rest. 

Rev.  John  G.  Brady  was  the  first  gentle- 
man sent  out  by  a  Board  to  Alaska.  He 
came  here  in  the  spring  of  1878.     Some 


'% 


28 


L/FE   IN  ALASKA. 


time  after,  Miss  KellogjT  joined  him  as  the 
teacher  of  the  school,  and  had  not  been 
here  more  than  six  months  when  she  went 
to  Wrangell  as  the  wife  of  Rev.  Mr.  Young. 
Soon  after,  Mr.  Brady  resigned  the  charge 
of  the  mission.  Mr.  Alonzo  E.  Austin,  a 
friend  of  Mr.  Brady's  in  New  York,  came 
here  for  his  health,  and  after  the  breaking 
up  of  the  mission  opened  a  school  for  the 
Russian  children,  which  he  carried  on  un- 
til the  arrival  of  his  family,  about  a  year 
aj.;o.  Then  it  was  transferred  to  the  hands 
of  his  second  daughter,  the  elder  daughter 
having  brought  with  her  a  commission  as 
teacher  to  the  Indians.  Rev.  G.  W.  Lyons 
and  wife  were  then  sent  as  missionaries  to 
this  station.  They  stayed  but  a  year,  when, 
on  account  of  ill- health,  they  were  obliged 
to  return  to  California.  Soon  after,  Mr. 
Austin  received  a  teacher's  commission 
also,  he  and  his  daughter  being  the  force 
here  at  present. 

During  our  stay  my  husband  preaches 
in  the  custom-house  on  the  Sabbath,  and 
we  have  prayer-meeting  on  Wednesday 
evenings.     Mr.  Austin  seems  to  be  abun- 


^ 


'% 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


29 


dantly  qualified  for  the  work  here,  and  I 
hope  he  will  be  ordained  and  given  charge 
of  this  station.  He  was  a  mission-worker 
in  New  York  City  for  many  years.  He 
has  a  power  really  remarkable  in  adapting 
himself,  his  thoughts  and  his  words  to  the 
condition  of  the  Indians.  They  seem  to 
like  him  very  much,  and  he  and  his  daugh- 
ter have  inaugurated  a  work  which  already 
has  done  much  good,  and  promises  so  much 
more  that  I  would  like  to  see  them  carry 
it  on. 

This  leads  me  to  speak  of  the  boys'  Home 
at  Sitka,  which  is  only  started  and  numbers 
twenty-three  boys,  with  others  pleading  to 
be  taken  in.  But  until  the  support  of  some 
of  the  scholars  is  guaranteed  by  friends 
in  the  favored  "  East,"  Mr.  Austin  fears  to 
incur  more  risks  in  debt;  so  the  poor  little 
fellows  are  sent  back  into  the  haunts  of  sin 
and  vice  which  they  have  learned  to  hate. 
It  was  in  this  way  the  Home  originated. 
Some  of  the  boys  attending  the  day-school 
begged  to  be  allowed  to  stay  in  the  build- 
ing overnight,  saying  they  were  obliged  to 
see  and  hear  wicked  thing's  in  their  homes, 


30 


LIFE   IM  ALASKA. 


W 


t 
l!.> 


u 

.V 


and  the  folks  drank  Hoochinoo  and  caroused 
all  night;  so  that  they  could  neither  sleep 
nor  study,  and  overslept  themselves  in  the 
morning,  making  them  late  to  school.  They 
were  at  length  taken  in,  and  others  pleaded 
for  the  same  privilege ;  so  the  Home  be- 
gan, and  was  named  by  the  missionaries 
"  Sheldon  Jackson  Institute,"  after  Dr.  Jack- 
son, who  was  not  only  the  first  American 
minister  to  visit  this  section  in  the  interests 
of  missions,  but  has  also  become  the  "  fa- 
ther of  Alaska  missions  "  by  his  success  in 
securing  both  missionaries  and  funds  for 
the  work. 

You  must  hear  of  the  work  of  Captain 
Henry  Glass,  of  the  U.  S.  S.  Jamestown, 
which  has  been  stationed  here  for  two 
or  three  years.  Captain  Glass  succeed- 
ed Captain  L.  A.  Beardslee  last  summer.  It 
is  not  often  that  the  government  sends  out 
a  missionary,  but  they  have  sent  one  in  this 
young  commander,  and  in  his  lieutenant, 
Mr.  F.  M.  Symonds.  His  first  move  was 
to  abolish  hoochinoo.  He  made  it  a  crime 
to  sell,  buy  or  drink  it,  or  any  intoxicating 
drinks.     He  prevailed  upon  the  traders  to 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


31 


sell  no  molasses  to  Indians  in  quantities,  so 
that  they  could  not  make  drink.  He  issued 
orders  in  regard  to  the  cleaning  up  of  the 
ranche  (the  Indian  quarters),  which  was 
filthy  in  the  extreme  and  had  been  the 
scene  of  nightly  horrors  of  almost  every 
description,  the  yells  seeming,  as  some 
have  said,  to  come  from  the  infernal  re- 
gions, murder  being  of  common  occur- 
rence and  the  town  filled  with  cripples. 
He  appointed  a  polite  force  from  the  In- 
dians themselves,  dressed  them  in  navy- 
cloth,  with  "  Jamestown  "  in  large  gilt  let- 
ters on  their  caps  and  a  silver  star  on  their 
breast.  He  made  education  compulsory  in 
this  way :  The  houses  were  all  numbered, 
and  the  children  of  each  house.  Each  child 
was  given  a  little  round  tin  plate  on  which 
was  marked  his  number,  thus  :  "  House  No. 
17,  Boy  No.  5."  These  plates  were  worn 
on  a  string  about  the  neck.  As  soon  as 
the  children  come  into  school  they  are  reg- 
istered. Whoever  failed  to  send  their  chil- 
dren to  school  were  fined  a  blanket.  As 
soon  as  they  discovered  that  the  captain 
was  in  earnest  they  submitted,  and  I  believe 


32 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


no  blanket  has  been  forfeited  since  the  first 
week.  Now,  if  any  are  going  off  on  a  fish- 
ing-tour, the  head  of  the  house  comes  and 
explains  why  his  children  will  be  absent 
and  for  how  long.  In  this  way  the  school 
attendance  has  been  doubled,  the  highest 
being  two  hundred  and  seventy-one;  this 
is  the  mission  day-school. 

The  Indians,  not  being  able  to  spend 
their  money  for  hoochinoo,  spend  it  for 
food  and  clothing.  Most  of  the  women 
are  clothed  right  neatly  in  calico  dresses, 
which  they  make  themselves  and  keep  very 
clean  ;  their  blankets,  which  are  the  univer- 
sal outside  garment,  are  as  white  as  snow, 
those  that  are  not  dyed.  Some  of  the  lat- 
ter are  very  handsome.  I  have  seen  sev- 
eral of  a  beautiful  navy-blue  with  a  stripe 
of  crimson,  on  each  side  of  which  was  a 
close  scale-row  of  pearl  buttons ;  the  stripe 
passed  round  the  neck  and  down  the  front. 
An  orange-colored  silk  handkerchief  on 
the  head  and  a  pair  of  light-colored  mocca- 
sins complete  the  outfit.  Their  blankets 
are  worn  with  peculiar  grace,  a  party  of 
Indians  making  a  most  picturesque  group. 


^ 


LIFE   IJV  AL.ISh'A. 


33 


first 

fish- 

and 

Dsent 

chool 

-•hest 

this 


They  all  wear  jewelry  and  prefer  silver  to 
g^old.  Some  of  the  women  wear  as  many 
as  a  dozen  pair  of  bracelets  at  once.  They 
are  generally  made  of  coin  beaten  out  and 
beautifully  engraved.  They  cost  from  one 
dollar  and  a  half  per  pair  to  five  dollars, 
the  price  varying  according  to  the  width 
and  weight. 

The  ranche  has  been  cleaned,  white- 
washed and  drained.  Some  pleasant  new 
houses  are  being  put  up,  and  all  is  peace- 
ful and  quiet  where  a  few  months  ago  it 
was  a  place  of  strife.  Hut  the  work  did 
not  stop  there :  the  whole  town  has  been 
renovated ;  bad  Indians  sent  to  the  guard- 
house were  put  to  work  ;  streets  have  been 
cleaned,  trees  planted,  a  sea-wall  built,  the 
common  made  tidy,  etc. 

The  boys  who  are  staying  at  the  school 
had  boarded  themselves,  but  a  room  has 
been  fixed  up  a  little  for  them  ;  they  had 
a  tin  box-lid  tacked  up  for  a  looking-glass. 
This  was  in  the  old  barracks  building  where 
Mr.  Austin's  are  living.  Captain  Glass  had 
the  school  removed  to  another  Lrovernment 
building,  (juite  large,  and  in  a  beautiful  lo- 


34 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


cation  down  the  beach.  An  effort  is  beini; 
made  now  to  secure  it  out  and  out  to  the 
mission.  They  have  been  promised  the 
free  use  of  it  as  long  as  they  occupy  it. 
There  is  a  large  and  good  garden  attached, 
from  which,  it  is  hoped,  they  will  have  a 
considerable  income  over  and  above  sup- 
plying the  Home  with  vegetables.  The 
captain  had  the  building  whitewashed  and 
fixed  up  generally — had  the  ship's  carpen- 
ter make  the  bunks  for  the  boys,  and 
benches,  tables,  etc.  In  fact,  he  has  seemed 
to  turn  the  crew  into  a  mission  force,  he 
and  his  young  wife  at  the  head  working 
with  their  own  haiids  and  encoura<rin(r  in 
every  way  the  earliest  and  devoted  teach- 
ers. So  now  tills  staying  overnight  of  a 
few  boys  has  developed  into  a  boys'  board- 
ing and  industrial  school.  They  do  their 
own  work,  even  sewing  now,  under  the 
ship's  tailor,  on  a  second  suit  of  clothes 
for  themselves  of  cotton-jean.  They  and 
the  outside  children  attend  school  together 
in  the  morning,  and  on  Sabbath  morning 
service  is  held  in  the  schoolroom  there  for 
the  Indians.      I  could  not  keep  back  the 


■; 


-> 


1. 1  IE   IN  ALASKA. 


35 


tears  of  joy,  wIkmi  I  attcndL'tl  tluiir  meet- 
inc^,  to  hear  these;  children,  who  but  a  few 
months  a^o  were  in  savage  darkness,  now 
sittini^^  with  brii^ht,  eaj^er  faces  Hstening  to 
the  tidinjL(s  which  have  j^laddened  so  many 
hearts,  and  in  their  turn  repeatini^  as  with 
one  voice  the  Ten  Commandments  and  the 
beautiful  assurances  of  God's  love,  such  as 
"  God  so  loved  the  world,"  etc. ;  then,  with 
sweetly  solemn  voices,  their  hands  clasped 
and  heads  reverently  bowed,  they  prayed 
too^ether  in  the  Lord's  words.  I  never  be- 
fore heard  the  prayer  repeated  so  beau- 
tifully. And  still  there  is  so  much  to  do ; 
only  a  beginninjr  has  been  made.  The 
ii^reat  house,  after  all,  is  very  barren,  cold 
and  damp,  and  the  boys  do  not  have  bed- 
clothes to  keep  them  warm.  They,  so  far, 
have  found  their  own  blankets,  but  they 
are  insufficient,  and  one  poor  little  fellow 
has  none.  The  weather  never  gets  warm 
here.  We  have  fire  every  day  and  sleep 
under  clothing  almost  as  heavy  as  in  win- 
ter at  home ;  so  that,  at  least  before  winter 
comes,  these  boys  ought  to  have  some  com- 
fortables. 


36 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


Another  opportunity  for  kind  hearts  and 
wilHn<r  hands  is  the  sick-room  in  the  Home. 
It  is  a  dark,  bleak,  barren  room  containing- 
only  two  cots  and  a  stool  or  two — no  warm 
comforts,  not  even  a  rug  for  the  floor, 
and  withou';;  curtains  for  the  windows 
and  pictures  for  bare  walls.  There  is  a 
dear  little  fellow,  named  Lawrence,  in  the 
school,  who  has  an  abscess,  and  the  doctor 
says  that  he  cannot  live  more  than  two 
years.  Soon,  I  fear,  he  will  be  confined 
to  this  miserable  room.  How  nice  it  would 
be  if  some  of  those  who  have  beautiful 
rooms  at  home  could  spare  r.omething  to 
beautify  this !  He  is  a  very  bright,  sweet- 
faced,  patient  boy,  and  Mr.  Austin  says 
he  lias  just  to  pull  him  back  from  work, 
although  he  is  so  thin  and  weak. 

The  schoolroom  is  very  pleasant.  Miss 
Austin  and  I  colored  some  Bible  scenes  for 
the  walls ;  the  walls  and  ceiling  w^cre  paint- 
ed white,  with  a  blue  cornice.  Mrs.  Beards- 
lee  presented  some  pretty  blue  calico,  which 
we  made  into  curcains  for  that  room.  In 
it,  also,  is  the  organ,  and  they  expect  to 
furnish  the  windows  with  plants. 


CAKVKI)    IMri.KMKNTS. 


I.  An  ancient  stone  axe.     2,  3.  Bones  used  in  setting  a  trap  for  fur-animals. 
4,  5.  6-  Spoon-handles  made  of  horn. 


4*:. 


\' 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


39 


Another  thin!:^;-  I  meant  to  speak  of:  the 
Indians,  and  particularly  our  tribe,  do  beau- 
tiful work  in  carving-  in  bracelets  of  silver, 
and  in  spoons  and  forks  of  wood  and  bone, 
and  in  weavinof  from  the  inner  bark  of  trees 
baskets,  tabl'j-mats,  hats,  etc.,  which  are  not 
only  very  pretty,  but  very  durable ;  and  we 
wish  very  much  to  encourage  every  indus- 
try among  them,  and  to  develop  every  talent. 
We  feel  the  necessity  of  their  becoming  in 
industrious  people,  that  they  may  become 
a  good  people.  !  intend  to  design  some 
tilings  for  them  after  a  while,  and  to  offer 
'■yards  for  desiofnlnof  amonof  themselves. 
''■  .  would  like  to  have  an  outlet  for  this 
A  '/k.  There  is  an  almost  endless  variety. 
They  are  very  quick  at  copying.  The 
large  basket  which  they  us^^  for  carrying 
water  makes  a  good  waste-papei'  basket. 

I  have  not  spoken  of  the  language.  It 
is  very  difficult,  but  the  Sitka,  Stickeen  and 
Chilcat  tribes  speak  the  same.  I  have  been 
.■studying  some  with  Kittie,  and  have  quite  a 
number  of  words ;  but  oh,  it  Is  so  hard  to 
be  tonirue-tied  when  the  heart  is  full ! 

We  are  eagerly  expecting  Dr.  Jackson 


40 


J.  I  IF.    IN  ALASKA. 


l)y  Steamer  California  next  week,  after 
which  we  hope  to  have  a  party  with  us  to 
Chilci  .  so  that  the  next  letter  will  tell 
you   ot  eld  which  heretofore  has  been 

unoccupied  by  any  mission. 

And  now,  with  lovintr  remembrances  for 
all,  and  prayer  for  mutual  blessings  in  this 
great  work,  I  am 

Truly  your  frie^id, 

CaKKIK    M.    WlLLAKl). 

yuly  A'. —  Chilcat  is  souk?  two  hundred 
and  twenty-five  miles  north  of  this  place, 
through  Chatham  Straits.  Tlu;  steamer 
leaves  in  forty-eight  hours,  and  w(*  go 
with  her  as  far  as  tlu;  mines.  Dr.  Sh(;l- 
don  Jackson  is  aljoard,  with  carp^Miters 
and  lumber  for  the  building  of  the  mis- 
sion house,  which  we  hope  to  occupy  be- 
fore long.  .  .   . 


Chilcat  Mission  Mansp:, 

IIainis,  Alaska,  August  23,  1881. 

Mv  Dkar  Friends:  In  the  beginning,  a 
word  to  friends  old  and  young  who  had 
part  or  parcel  in  the  work  of  sending  the 


ift 


cr 


IS   to 
tell 


)een 


;  for 
this 


:i). 


ircu 
lace, 
.me*r 


•      (r 


t;o 


Iters 
niis- 


CAUVKI)    IMl'M.Ml-.NTS. 
I,  2.  Chil.'.at  nittlfs.    3    Wdodt-n  howl.    4    Winnlcii  pipe.     =,.   Wooden  comb. 


i 


Ul'E   IN  ALASXA. 


43 


sinofin^r-books''"  which  arrived  last  evenin*^ 
by  the  man-of-war  Wachusette.  How  we 
do  thank  you  all  for  your  prompt  kind- 
ness!  We  feel  so  strong — that  is,  your 
ready  action  in  this  matter  has  made  us 
feel  that  we  have  your  interest,  your  love 
and  your  prayers.  And,  as  we  said  to 
each  other  when  we  opened  the  books 
last  night,  "  Oh  how  good  it  will  seem  to 
sinLT  from  books  that  our  home-friends 
have  sent !"  It  seems  fjood  even  to  have 
them  in  the  house. 

And  now  where  shall  I  begin  to  teil  you 
of  all  you  wish  to  know  of  our  work  ?  You 
know  we  expected  to  live  in  a  tent  till  we 
could  put  up  for  ourselves  a  log  house. 
Well,  we  should  have  done  so  had  it  not 
been  for  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson's  wise  and 
unselfish  zeal.  Instead  of  waitinof  until 
some  one  proffered  the  means,  he  had 
faith  in  the  loving  interest  of  the  Church  at 
large  to  redeem  the  pledge  he  might  make, 
and  borrowed  money  on  his  own  responsi- 
bilitv  to  erect  buildinors  for  the  mission  both 

*  Donated  by  the  society  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of 
New  Castle,  Pennsylvania. 


44 


LIFE    IN  AL^iSKA. 


here  and  at  1  loonyah.  'I1u!n,  as  the 
mere  mechanical  part  of  building  was  no 
simple  problem  so  far  from  supplies,  he 
brought  his  own  experience  to  bear  per- 
sonally upon  it,  and  with  his  carpenters 
worked  with  his  own  hands  on  our  pretty 
home  here.  He  also  brou'^ht  us  a  bell — 
the  gift  of  Mrs.  C.  H.  Langdon  of  I'lliza- 
beth.  New  Jersey — which  is  the  first  Pres- 
byterian bell  in  Alaska ;  and  oh  how  sweet 
it  sounds!  Just  a  perfect  Presbyterian 
tone !  I  can  never  give  expression  to 
the  feelinfTs  it  aroused  when  I  first  heard 
the  waves  of  its  solemn  music  in  the  soli- 
tude of  Alaska.  It  is  such  a  help  to  us  ! 
Twice  every  Sabbath  it  brings  the  natives 
toofGther  to  hear  the  sjood  news,  and  on 
every  weekday  but  Saturday  to  a  Chris- 
tian school.  Dr.  Jackson  expects,  on  his 
return  to  the  States,  to  solicit  funds  with 
which  to  pay  for  our  building. 

And  now  as  to  our  field  and  work  here. 
I  would  like  to  give  you  a  clear  idea  of  it. 
You  have  heard  of  the  British  mission,  un- 
der the  care  of  Mr.  Duncan,  who  has  built 
up   the  model  Christiim   Indian  village  of 


i 


the 


of 


CIIILCAT   UAbKKTs   AM)    HORN   srooN. 


i 


1 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


47 


Mc't-lah-kat-lah,  British  Columbia.  It  is  with 
something  of  the  same  plan  in  mind  that 
we  have  located  our  mission  on  Portage 
l)ay,  where  there  is  no  permanent  Indian 
house,  and  named  it,  after  the  secretary 
of  the  Woman's  Executive  Committee  of 
Home  Missions,  '*  Haines."  In  our  Chil- 
cat  country  there  are  four  villages — three 
on  Chilcat  River,  and  one  on  the  Chilcoot 
River.  Each  of  these  villages  has  its  chief 
or  chiefs  and  medicine-men,  each  its  dis- 
tinct nobility,  and  each  its  own  interests 
and  jealousies  of  all  the  others.  So,  you 
see,  had  we  built  at  any  one  of  these 
places,  we  would  in  some  measure  come 
into  antagonism  with  the  others.  We 
would,  in  their  eyes,  be  allying  ourselves 
with  that  particular  people,  and  the  others 
would  be  too  proud  to  come  under  their 
hand.  As  it  is.  Portage  Bay  is  a  beautiful 
and  safe  harbor  almost  at  the  head  of  Chil- 
coot Inlet,  the  eastern  arm  of  Lynn  Chan- 
nel. The  point  of  land  here  between  the 
Chilcat  River  and  the  channel  is  the  largest 
level  tract,  and  the  most  fertile  that  we  have 
seen   anywhere  in   Alaska,  and  will  afford 


48 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


ample  farming-Li^round  for  the  people.  They 
all  regard  it  as  our  place  and  so  speak  of 
it,  and  have  promised  in  all  the  villai^es  to 
come  to  "the  minister's  place"  and  build 
new  houses  where  they  can  learn  some- 
thing good.  They  have  visited  us,  and 
one  and  all  have  expressed  their  joy  at 
our  arrival  and  their  own  intention  to 
come  and  build  here  as  soon  as  the  win- 
ter stores  of  fish  and  berries  are  secured. 
Besides  our  own  house  here,  there  are 
buildings  put  up  by  the  trading  company, 
one  occupied  by  them  as  a  trading-[)ost, 
the  other  purchased  by  the  mission  Board 
for  school  purposes.  It  is  sixteen  by  thirty 
feet,  of  rough  and  knotty  up-and-down 
boards,  without  chimneys,  with  four  small 
windows,  which  cannot  be  opened,  and  one 
small  door,  and  so  frail  that  I  fear  it  will 
:>carcely  stand  one  good  winter  storm,  for 
it  shakes  with  walking  down  the  steps. 
The  rafters  above  have  been  covered  with 
cheese-cloth  whitewashed,  which  flaps  up 
and  down  like  a  sail  every  time  the  door 
is  opened.  There  are  so  many  holes  in 
the   shingles   that  on  a   sunshiny  day  this 


LI  IE    /A'  A/.ASh'A. 


49 


whitod  canopy  presents  the  appearance  of 
the  starry  heavens,  so  (kicked  with  sun- 
light.     It   will   perhaps   do    for  a   year  or 


two. 


The    company's    store   is   kept  by   their 


aL,^ent,    G 
whose  wi 


eorLre 


Dick 


inson. 


fe 


IS  a 


T 


simpsean 


an 
Ind 


A 


merican, 


lan  woman 


who  went  to  school  to  Mr.  Duncan  and 
was  convert(;d  there.  It  was  she  who  was 
workint^  in  a  little  school  of  their  own  with 
Clah  in  lu^rt  Wram^^ell  when  Dr.  Jackson 
and  Mrs.  McFarland  went  there,  in  1877. 
After  their  arrival  she  acted  as  interpreter, 
until,  just  a  year  ago,  her  husband  was  sent 
here  by  the  company,  and  she  was  commis- 
sioned by  the  Board  to  open  a  school  for  the 
Chilcats.  She  is  a  very  i^ood  woman,  I 
think,  and  has  done  well  under  the  circum- 
stances. We  shall  soon  need  a  teacher  of 
larger  scope.  She  is  retained  for  the  pres- 
ent as  teacher  under  Mr.  Willard,  and  in- 
terpreter. 

We  opened  the  school  on  Monday,  the 
8th  of  August,  after  Dr.  Jackson  left,  with 
twenty-four  pupils.  Some  days  since  we 
have  had  twenty-eight,  but  only  four  reg- 


50 


LIFE   IN  ALArA'A. 


IH 


w 


\h 


W 


u!ar  ones.  The  others  came  in  as  they 
crossed  the  trail.  There  are  a  few  bark 
booths,  where  they  stop  when  they  come 
to  trade.  But  on  every  Sabbath  canoe- 
loads  come  from  the  villai^es,  and  we  have 
always  had  from  forty-five  to  fifty  in  attend- 
ance. Monday  five  other  canoes  came  in 
for  church,  having  missed  a  day  ;  we  taught 
them  in  our  home.  These  are  principally 
from  Chilcoot  and  the  lower  villaoes.  The 
others  are  too  far  away,  and  the  people  too 
busy,  except  in  the  uppermost,  where  tney 
have  been  hindered  by  war.  We  have  now 
their  promises  of  peace,  and  that  the  people 
will  come  down  soon.  We  are  hoping  to 
commence  regular  v/ork  by  the  first  of  Oc- 
tober. We  have  scarcely  breathing-time 
now.  We  hope  to  visit  all  the  villages 
before   that  time. 

We  have  already  made  the  trip  to  Chil- 
coot, and  I  must  tell  you  about  it.  The 
"hief,  Don-a-wok,  of  the  lower  village,  has 
a  large  canoe,  and  one  day  he  sent  a  mes- 
senger up  to  ask  us  to  go  out  with  him  on 
the  bay.  We  gladly  consented,  and  at  sun- 
set we  pu.shed  off  with  eight  paddles.     We 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


53 


■^m^ 


had  a  delig-htful  time,  singing  the  while,  at 
the  chiefs  reque?!,  some  gospel  hymns. 
He  offered  also  the  service  of  his  boat  to 
take  us  to  Chilcoot ;  so  the  next  day  I  spent 
in  preparing  lunch  for  the  party,  and  on  the 
second  morning,  bright  and  early,  we  set 
sail  and  dipped  paddle  for  Chilcoot,  thirty- 
two  souls  comfortably  seated,  and  still  room 
for  as  many  more.  Putting  into  a  little  bay 
below  the  rapids,  we  left  the  boat  and  took 
the  trail  to  the  village,  about  a  mile  di^t^ant, 
which  we  reached  about  noon,  and  wnere 
we  found  the  news  of  our  coming  had  pre- 
ceded us  lonof  enouirh  for  the  chiefs  to  have 
everything  in  readiness.  We  were  con- 
ducted to  the  house  of  the  head-chief,  who 
is  also  a  medicine-man,  and  were  received 
with  the  ofreatest  kindness. 

The  house  was  exceedingly  neat,  the 
hard,  burnished  boards  of  the  floor  being 
white  and  clean.  Sand  was  sprinkled  over 
the  fireplace,  in  the  centre.  We  mounted 
the  high  steps  outside  to  a  low-arched  door- 
way, passing  through  which  we  found  our- 
selves on  a  little  platform,  from  which  two 
or  three  steps  led  down  to  a  second  plat- 


54 


LIFE    //V  ALASKA. 


form,  of  oreatcr  breadth,  extending  around 
the  entire  buildini^.  Two  or  three  feet  from 
its  edofc  was  hunir  tent-cloth,  curtaininof  in 
sleeping-  and  store-rooms  on  the  two  sides. 
The  end  of  the  room  opposite  the  door, 
back  of  the  fireplace,  is  the  seat  of  honor. 


IMKUKJR    OK   A   CJIII.CAT    HOUSE. 
From  a  Drawing  by  Mrs.  Willard. 

In  this  case  it  consisted  of  chests  of  .-.ome 
kind  covered  with  white  muslin.  Back  of 
it,  ranged  on  a  platform,  were  the  treas- 
ures in  crockery,  some  half  a  dozen  large 
washbowls  and  a  neat  platter. 


I.I  IE    IX  ALASKA. 


55 


As  we  entered,  the  chief  sat  in  state  on 
a  small  chest  at  one  side  of  the  fireplace, 
robed  in  a  pair  of  blue  pantaloons,  a  clean 
pink  calico  shirt,  and  fallinc^  in  graceful  folds 
about  him  a  navy-blue  blanket  with  a  bor- 
(l(;r  of  handsome  crimson  cloth  edged  with 
a  row  of  large  pearl  buttons.  In  his  hair, 
which  is  quite  crimped  and  curling  about 
liis  hiirh  forehead  and  hancrs  down  his  back 
like  the  tail  of  a  horse  (for  they  are  not 
[)ermitted  ever  to  comb  or  to  plait  it),  was 
arranirC'd  the  whole  skin  of  a  little  white 
ermine.  On  the  platform  just  above  him 
sat  his  wife  with  a  similar  blanket  about 
her  and  a  great  many  silver  bracelets  on 
her  arms.  They  showed  us  to  our  seats 
and  gave  expression  in  both  smiles  and 
words  to  their  pleasure  at  our  coming. 
Our  entire  party  occupied  the  honorable 
end  of  the  room,  but  we  only  had  the 
seats. 

The  old  chief  said  he  was  so  glad  that 
th(!  minister  had  come  at  last!  He  wished 
it  might  have  been  when  he  was  boy ;  now 
he  was  old,  he  was  soon  to  go  dowm  to 
death,  but  he  could  go  now  more  happily, 


5^> 


I. HE    IX  ALASKA. 


knf)\viiiL(  that  his  people  would  now  have 
lij^^ht.  lie  wished  that  the  white  man  liked 
Indian's  food;  then  he  woidd  show  us  how 
they  loved  us.  He  had  salmon-berries: 
would  we  eat  some  of  those?  We  con- 
sented, and  a  servant  brouL,du  the  wash- 
bowls before  the  chief's  wife,  who  with  her 
hands  filh-d  up  the  bowls  with  the  beauti- 
ful Ixtrries.  The  first  was  borne  to  us,  set 
down  on  the  Iloor  before  us,  the  next  to 
l)on-a-wok  and  Mrs.  Dickinson,  the  oth- 
ers severally  to  groups  of  Indians  in  our 
party  seated  on  the  floor.  We  took  up  our 
bowls,  and  after  grace  began  to  eat  with 
our  fingers.  By  this  time  a  great  many 
of  the  people  had  gathered  in.  Mr.  Wil- 
lard  spoke  to  them  for  half  an  hour,  after 
which,  with  singing  and  prayer,  we  took 
our  d(!parture. 

W(i  then  looked  about  the  village,  the 
houses  of  which  are  ranijed  alonof  the  bluff 
and  about  the  rapids.  Running  out  from 
th(!  walk  in  front  of  the  dwell in<rs  ar(;  trel- 
lises  for  drying  salmon.  Great  pilc!s  had  al- 
ready b(*(;n  put  away,  yet  more  were  drying. 
H(ilow  these!,  nearer  the  water,  they  were 


■  --4 

i 


A///-:    IN  ALASKA. 


57 


making'  fish-oil  in  their  wooden  canoes. 
At  first,  when  I  saw  the  boiHng  mass  of  fish, 
1  wondered  how  they  kept  the  canoe  from 
burninir.  Then  I  remembered  that  the  fire 
was  not  under  the  canoe,  but  under  a  o^reat 
altar-Hke  mound  of  stones,  which,  being 
made  red  hot,  were  dropped  into  the  canoe 
of  fish.  Out  in  the  water  were  the  inofe- 
nious  sahnon- traps,  where  they  take  such 
immense  quantities  of  this  fine  fish  as  they 
come  up  the  river  at  this  season  of  the 
year  to  spawn.  Then,  after  a  look  at  the 
beautiful  lake,  of  which  the  river  is  the  out- 
let, we,  Mr.  VVillard  and  myself,  with  our 
interpreter,  took  the  chiefs  canoe,  and,  with 
two  Indians  to  pole,  we  "shot"  the  rapids, 
seated  one  before  the  other  in  the  bottom 
of  the  narrow  boat,  a  hand  on  either  side 
to  steady  us.  I  sat  with  my  Lack  to  the 
head  of  the  canoe,  and  saw  the  dangers  only 
to  be  thankful  that  we  had  escaped  them, 
while  Mrs.  Dickinson,  turned  the  other  way 
and  seeing-  always  the  rock  we  were  to  split 
upon,  kept  uttering  little  cries  of  alarm  ;  but 
it  was  only  for  a  few  minutes,  and  we  reached 
the  landing-place.     We  had  a  good  dinner 


58 


J.Il'E   IN  ALASKA. 


on  a  beautiful  beach,  then  took  the  paddles 
for  home,  singing  most  of  the  way,  our  bod- 
ies full  of  weariness,  but  our  hearts  full  of 
peace.  Soon  after  nightfall  we  found  our- 
selves at  our  own  little  home  ao;ain. 

But  my  letter  is  already  too  long,  although 
I  have  not  told  you  half  that  I  wished ;  and 
I  must  say  "  Farewell,"  with  the  prayer  that 
your  little  society  may  continue  to  grow  in 
interest  and  influence.  .  .  . 


Cmi-CAT  Mission, 

IIainks,  Alaska,  August  27,  1881. 

Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson,  D.  D. — 

Dear  Friend  and  Broiiier  :  I  cannot 
refrain  from  dropping  you  a  note  of  thanks, 
although  words  are  too  feeble  to  express 
our  appreciation  of  what  you  have  done  in 
our  behalf;  in  God's  hands,  you  have  done 
everything  for  us. 

In  the  first  place,  you  gained  for  us  our 
hearts'  desire — the  appointment  to  preach 
glad  tidings  to  the  Chilcats.  You  advised 
and  encouraged  us  by  the  way.  We  left 
home  with  the  expectation  of  living  in  a 
tent  until  we  could  by  our  own  labor  put 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


59 


y% 


up  a  lo(Tf  house.  This  exposure  your  lov- 
ini^  zeal  and  wise  energy  has  prevented  by 
taking  upon  your  own  shoulders  a  burden 
which,  I  trust,  will  soon  be  removed  by  an 
interested  people  at  home — the  financial 
burden,  I  mean,  for  you  have  borne  so 
much  more  than  that  in  the  planning  and 
(.Tcction  of  the  building  which  has  given 
us  such  a  comfortable  home  in  this  far- 
away land. 

Your  coming  with  us,  too,  and  introdu- 
cing us  to  the  very  chiefs  to  whom  you  first 
had  promised  a  teacher  years  ago,  has,  I  am 
sure,  been  most  advantageous  to  the  be- 
ginning of  our  work  here,  and  your  coun- 
sel and  advice  most  helpful  and  comfort- 
ing to  us. 

That  God  may  bless  you  more  and  more 
abundantly  in  your  labors  of  love  is  the 
prayer  with  thanksgiving  of  your  grateful 
sister  in  Christ,       Carrie  M.  Willard. 


Chii.cat  Mission, 

Haines,  Alaska,  August  24,  1881, 


Oh  what  a  precious  budget  this  big  ship 
(U.  S.  S.  Wachusette)  has  brought  us! — 


6o 


///•/';   AV  A/.ASh'A. 


books,  papers  and  letters  conifortinc^  and 
helpful.  We  have  so  much  enjoyed  them 
a//.  .  .  . 

I  often  realize  the  meanint^  of  the  Script- 
ure ''And  a  lltde  child  shall  lead  them,"  for 
truly  our  baby  is  a  lari^e  element  in  the 
Chiicat  mission  force.  For  instance:  The 
first  day  after  our  arrival  here  the  children 
flocked  in  to  see  us.  I  had  Baby  on  my 
lap,  washing-  and  combing  lu:r  hair.  Tlu! 
little  Indians  first  shyly  showed  their  black- 
and-red-painted  faces  at  a  little  crack  of  the 
door  after  having  taken  a  survey  of  the  in- 
side premises  through  a  knot-hole.  Baby 
smiled  at  them  with  me,  holding  her  wee 
thumb  and  first  finger  closely  pinched  to- 
gether with  a  kiss.  I  had  Kittie  tell  them 
that  she  was  kissing  them,  and  so  Baby 
won  their  first  smile ;  and  they  crept  by 
slow  degrees  close  up  to  us,  watching  the 
washing-and-combing  process  with  open- 
mouthed  in  te  rest- 
After  they  had  become  thoroughly  ab- 
sorbed and  I  had  put  on  Baby  her  pretty 
white  apron,  I  had  Kittie  tell  them  that  this 
was  my  little  baby,  that  she  (Kittie)  was  my 


/.//•A    /A'  ALASKA. 


6l 


h'\<r  i^irl,  and  tliat  they  all  were  my  children. 
Just  as  I  kept  my  liltlt;  baby  I  wanted  ail 
my  children  kept — nice  and  clean.  Mad 
they  ever  seen  a  comb  like  that?  No,  they 
never  had  ;  so,  after  groupinj^  them  as  they 
l)eloni(ed — in  families — I  gave  to  each  group 
a  good  fme  comb.  You  should  have  seen 
their  faces !  Such  a  study  as  they  were  ! 
So  full  of  wonder  and  of  pleasure !  For 
a  moment  they  stood  perfectly  still,  then 
with  one  accord  ran  out  of  the  door  and 
away. 

In  the  course  of  fifteen  minutes  they 
began  to  reappear  by  twos  and  threes  with 
faces  ruddy  and  resplendent — the  paint  had 
been  so  hastily  and  so  vigorously  removed — 
and  \.\vi  hair,  which  had  for  the  first  time  been 
brought  into  contact  with  a  comb,  standing 
on  end  as  with  utter  astonishment.  Again 
were  their  faces  a  study — an  expression  of 
a  newly-awakened  self-respect  and  a  certain 
pride  which  held  its  own  while  it  sought 
approval  in  my  eyes  as  they  ranged  them- 
selves before  me  with  happy  dropped  eye- 
lids. Of  course  I  gave  expression  to  my 
delight,  and  had  them  all  sit  down  on  the 


62 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


floor  beside  me  while  I  told  them  of  Jesus 
and  taught  them  that  sweet  little  hymn, 

"  Oh,  I  u  n  so  gkfl 
That  our  Father  in  heaven,"  etc. 

Thus  the  work  began.  From  that  day 
to  this  I  have  never  seen  the  faces  of  those 
children  painted,  and  day  after  day  they  reg- 
ularly, of  their  own  accord,  presented  them- 
selves to  show  me  that  they  had  combed 
their  hair. 

I  have  been  so  interested,  too,  in  the 
effect  of  Baby's  sweet  face  and  winning 
ways  on  strangers  who  have  come  to  us 
from  the  more  distant  villages.  I  have 
seen  them  enter  with  questioning,  distrust- 
ful and  suspicious  faces,  and  in  a  very  few 
minutes  melt  into  a  perfectly  restful  enjoy- 
ment of  the  situation  and  go  away  with 
frank  expression  of  their  friendship  and  of 
pleasure  at  our  coming.  One  old  woman 
from  the  upper  village  had  been  waiting 
about  the  door  outside,  I  know  not  hov/ 
long,  until  I  left  the  room  for  a  moment; 
then,  slipping  in,  she  sat  down  on  the  floor 
beside  Baby  and  placed  before  her  a  basket 


I.U'K   IN  ALASKA. 


63 


of  luscious  berries.  There  she  sat  when  I 
came  out,  not  ckirinjL,^  to  raise  her  head,  but 
smilino  softly  to  herself.  Goinjr  up,  I  knelt 
down  beside  her  and  took  her  hand,  tellin<^ 
her  in  strong  Kling--get  that  I  was  j^dad  to 
sec  her.  She  slowly  looked  up,  and  there 
was  such  a  glad  light  in  her  face  as  she 
took  my  hand  in  both  hers  and,  patting  it 
softly,  ^r^A  something  to  me  which  Kittie 
iiU(;rpreted  as  *'  My  child,  my  child."  Then 
she  told  me  that  she  had  never  seen  a  white 
woman  before,  and  she  felt  afraid  to  come 
to  see  the  minister's  wife,  but  she  wanted 
so  much  to  come  that  she  came  with  a  pres- 
ent to  the  dear  little  baby.  Now  she  was 
afraid  no  more  ;  she  saw  a  friend's  face. 

So  I  might  go  on  telling  you  of  Baby's 
work  here,  but  you  want  to  hear  of  some- 
tliin<r  else,  and  time  is  so  short  for  so  much 
to  be  done. 

We  had  a  letter  from  Dr.  Jackson  by  this 
vessel  saying  that  his  mail  had  brought  him 
the  good  news  that  a  lady  in  Ohio  had 
given  one  thousand  dollars  for  our  build- 
ing here.     Thus  the  Lord  is  providing. 

And  now  you  will   be  anxious   to   hear 


64 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


of  pcac(i  prospects  for  Chllcat.  I  think 
that  I  may  say  they  are  favorable.  As  I 
told  you  in  my  last,  the  head-chief,  Shat-e- 
ritch,  was  quite  ill,  and  sent  for  and  re- 
ceived of  us  medicines  which  seemed  to  do 
him  much  good.  On  last  Sabbath  after- 
noon he  came  over  the  trail  wliile  we  were 
holding  services  ;  afterward  he  came  into 
our  home.  He  looked  about  very  suspi- 
ciously and  seemed  ill  at  ease.  We  showed 
him  our  house  audits  appointments;  then 
I  had  him  sit  at  the  table  and  take  supper 
with  us.  The  beans,  or  something,  seemed 
to  find  the  way  to  his  heart ;  and  then  his 
heart  came  to  his  lips,  and  he  told  us  that 
he  had  been  told  of  bad  thin^fs  we  said  of 
him.  We  explained  all  satisfactorily,  and 
he  went  away  apparently  in  the  best  hu- 
mor and  wirh  the  kindest  feeling,  asking 
me  to  take  his  daughter  for  my  own  and 
train  her  up  to  be  a  good  and  wise  woman. 
This  l?st  I  declined  to  answer  affirmatively 
as  yet.  He  gave  us  word  that  there  was 
no  actual  fighting  when  he  left ;  that  most 
of  the  people  were  anxious  to  have  it  set- 
tled, so  that  they  could  come  down  here  to 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


65 


school ;  that  he  had  a  long  time  prevented 
their  fio:htin<r  and  thev  had  promised  to  set- 
tie  after  the  officer  of  the  Jamestown  came, 
hut  the  day  after  the  missionary  left  the 
"Murderer"  (as  he  had  lon^r  been  called 
l)y  the  people)  shot  his  own  friend — one 
of  the  nobility,  leaving  only  four — and  that 
made  the  hearts  of  all  the  people  sick,  so 
that  they  had  no  strength  and  he  wanted  to 
say  nothing  to  them.  He  had  nothing  to 
do  with  the  fighting,  only  tried  to  prevent  it, 
and  didn't  like  the  man-of-war  to  come  and 
talk  so  much  with  him  about  it.  He  want- 
ed them  to  come  and  deal  with  those  who 
fought  and  caused  the  fight.  We  explained 
to  him  that  it  was  because  he  was  for  peace, 
and  was  a  wiser  man  than  the  fighters,  that 
the  officers  wished  to  speak  to  him.  He  left 
lor  Chilcoot  to  buy  oil  for  winter,  return- 
ing yesterday,  when  we  had  another  call 
from  him. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Wachusette  steamed 
along  and  cast  anchor  in  our  harbor.  At 
lirst    the    Indians    seemed    frit'htened    and 


suspicious, 
mission    bell. 

6 


We    rang   a    salute   with    our 
The    officers   came   ashore 


06 


LIFE    IN  ALASKA. 


and  to  our  house;  then  it  orrieved  my  heart 
to  see  the  changed  faces  of  our  poor  peo- 
ple. So  Ignorant  and  so  fearful,  how  their 
countenances  were  changed  toward  nie  ! 
I  looked  in  vain  for  the  warm,  briirht  wel- 
coming  smile  as  I  passed  among  them : 
they  were  suspicious  of  us,  and  averted 
their  faces.  But  by  degrees  they  were 
again  inspired  with  confidence  in  the  offi- 
cers and  in  us.  We  assured  the  people 
that  they  were  come  as  friends  to  all  who 
would  do  right.  The  captain  invited  them 
on  board  ship,  and  by  and  by  flocks  of 
canoes  from  the  villages  visited  it,  and  all 
became  friends. 

Captain  Edward  P.  Lull  had  a  conversa- 
tion with  Shat-e-ritch  and  sent  for  other 
counselors,  who  have  not  yet  arrived.  If 
they  come  in  time  for  a  talk  to-night,  the 
vessel  will  l(;ave  early  in  the  morning. 

While  Shat-e-ritch  was  in  Chilcoot,  and 
l)efore  the  steamer  came,  a  party  arrived 
Irom  the  upper  Ciiilcat  village  with  the 
word  that  peace  was  made,  the  satisfaction 
had  been  paid,  and  all  were  glad  but  one 
d(!sperate  man,  wiio  would  never  be  satis- 


l.irE    fN  ALASKA. 


6; 


fied.  We  cannot  tell  as  yet  just  how  true 
this  report  may  be. 

On  the  other  hand,  that  Sitka  affair  is 
not  considered  as  settled  by  the  friends  of 
tlie  man  who  was  injured  and  committed 
suicide  in  the  prison.  You  remember  I 
told  vou  about  it  before  ;  he  had  killed  the 
man  who  took  his  wife,  and  because  of  the 
overwhelminof  disi^-race  took  his  own  life. 
He  was  of  the  higher  class  of  the  lower 
village  people,  and  the  chief,  Don-a-wok. 
is  qroinof  to  Sitka  for  satisfaction.  He 
bought  a  large  Hydah  canoe  to  make  the 
trij)  in.  He  also  intends  to  bring  back 
with  him  as  wife  the  daughter  of  the  Hoo- 
chinoo chief.  She  is  quite  young,  we  hear, 
while  he  is  a  great,  stalwart,  dignified,  and 
withal  a  fine-looking,  old  man,  of  perhaps 
fifty.  His  nephew,  Cla-not,  who  will  suc- 
ceed him  as  chief,  is  one  of  those  who  ac- 
companied Dr.  Jackson  on  his  trip  to  Fort 
Simpson,  and  to  whom  was  first  promised 
a  missionary.  He  also  was  about  the  first 
to  meet,  recognize  and  welcome  Dr.  jack- 
son  here. 

These   men    are   both   interested   in   the 


68 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


Sitka  affair,  as  the  man  was  a  relative  of 
theirs.  They  both  are  very  friendly  to  us. 
We  have  had  many  talks,  particidarly  with 
the  older  man,  and  last  Sabbadi  Mr.  Wil- 
lard  preached  to  him  on  "  If  ye  forg^ive  not 
men  their  trespasses,  neither,"  etc.  I  had 
a  long  talk  with  him  the  other  day.  He 
has  been  very  much  interested,  as  have  all 
the  people,  in  our  house.  I  asked  him  if 
he  were  goinc^  to  bring  his  new  wife  up 
here.  Yes,  he  said ;  he  was  going  to  sit 
down  by  the  minister.  Then  I  said,  "I  sup- 
pose you  will  build  a  new  house  like  the 
white  man's  ?"  Yes,  if  he  could  ^-et  the 
lumber,  he  wanted  to  have  an  "  upstairs." 
He  wanted  Dr.  Jackson  to  help  him.  I 
told  him  Mr.  Willard  would  help  him  all  he 
could  in  telling  about  the  lumber  and  what 
he  needed,  and  then  I  would  show  his  wife 
how  to  arrange  it  nicely  inside.  I  asked 
him  if  he  were  not  going  to  marry  his  wife 
the  Christian  way,  and  explained  to  him 
how  that  was  and  what  it  meant:  one  only 
and  as  long  as  life  lasts ;  that  he  must  take 
care  of  his  wife  as  his  own  life,  and  she  the 
same  for  him ;  no  more  two — always  one. 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


69 


He  seemed  delighted,  and  said  he  would 
brintr  her  and  be  married  the  Christian 
way.  I  promised  him  that  it  should  be 
in  our  pretty  sitting-room.  His  first  wife 
has  been  dead  a  loner  time,  and  he  seems 
to  be  honest  and  upright. 

Cla-not  is  a  splendid  man  physically  and 
of  good  ability.  He  is  the  only  man,  how- 
ever, whom  I  know  that  has  three  wives ; 
one  who  is  much  older  than  himself  he 
married  for  her  wisdom.  They  are  in  the 
lower  village.  The  only  thing  in  the  way 
of  his  coming  at  once  to  build  here  is  that 
an  uncle  died  leaving  a  house  pardy  built, 
and  it  is  a  great  point  of  honor  among 
them  that  the  next  male  relative  should 
take  up  the  work — with  all  the  giving  of 
<nfts  and  feastinof  which  it  entails — and 
finish  the  house,  that  it  may  stand  as  a 
monument  to  the  memory  of  the  deceased  ; 
so  Cla-not  has  this  to  do.  Then,  he  says, 
he  will  come  over  here. 

At  present,  besides  our  buildings  and 
the  trade-store  shed,  there  are  but  a  few 
bark  booths  and  one  open  log  hut — merely 
stopping-places  for  the  Indians  when  they 


;o 


LII'K  IN  ALASKA. 


come  to  trade; — but  these  are  crowded,  and 
many  more  people  will  be  here  as  soon  as 
the  winter's  food  is  cured.  1  have  much  to 
tell  you  of  their  manner  of  doing  this.  You 
wouldn't  want  any  of  it. 

There  is  somethinir  so  deliLrhtful  and 
comfortable  in  the  coming  of  our  Ameri- 
can men-of-war  on  errands  of  peace!  It 
is  certainly  a  part  of  the  fulfillment  of 
pr(jph(;cy.  The  captain,  Edward  P.  Lull, 
of  this  vessel,  who  our  weak  faith  feared 
would  not  ])e  a  woi  hy  successor  of  Cap- 
tain (ilass,  is  a  Christian  gentleman,  and, 
I  think,  desirous  of  aiding  the  good  work. 
We  like  all  the  officers  very  much.  The 
ship-surg(;on.  Dr.  Parker,  is  from  Carlisle, 
P{!nnsylvania ;  we  at  once  claimed  kinship 
widi  him. 

Will  you  please  send  me  those;  Evangel- 
ists and  .Sunday-school  papers,  as  you  are 
through  with  them?  The  latter  are  prized 
very  highly  by  the  people.  We  like  to  give 
them  one  on  Sunday ;  and  if  you  have  any 
little  things  which  would  help  us  in  making 
Christmas  a  day  to  be  remt;mber(;d  l)y  the 
Indians,  we  would   be  glad  to   have  them 


LN'E   IN  ALASKA. 


71 


sent  by  mail.  Perhaps  we  would  be  able 
to  L^et  them  if  sent  soon.  We  shall  need 
some  clothinof,  too — some  shoes  and  stock- 
in<^^s ;  for  some  of  the  people  are  poor, 
and  Mrs.  Dickinson  says  they  came  to 
school  in  the  snow  last  winter  in  their 
bare  feet  with  only  an  old  blanket  around 
them.  .  .  . 


Cuii.cAT  Mission, 

Hainks,  Alaska,  Septcml)cr  12,  i88i. 

Rkv.  SiiKLDoN  Jackson,  i).  D. :  So  much 
has  occurred  since  we  last  wrote  you  that 
I  despair  of  p^iving-  you  a  very  full  account. 
I)on-a-wok,  the  chief,  returned  to  his  vil- 
laore  last  eveninjj — so  messenorers  tell  us 
— but  his  heart  is  so  sad  that  he  could  not 
come  to  us  himself  to-day;  for,  although 
Ivis  errand  to  Sitka  was  a  prosperous  one, 
the  Sitka  Indians  paying  many  blankets  and 
Chinese  trunks  for  the  life;  of  his  friend,  and 
wliile  he  had  taken  many  more  with  him  from 
home,  yet  he  had  not  enough  to  satisfy  the 
demand  made  as  an  honorable  cfift  for  his 
promised  wife,  and  \\i\  was  forced  to  come 
back  without  her.     We  are  all  sorry,  for  we 


;2 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


had  hoped  much  as  a  result  of  his  example 
in  marrying  and  making  a  home  before  this 
people.  But  it  must  be  best  somehow.  It 
is  God's  work,  and  he  will  do  and  allow  to 
be  done  what  will  further  his  own  glory: 
that  is  a  comfort. 

We  have  made  our  anticipated  tour  of 
the  villages,  starting  out  on  Thursday,  the 
1st  of  September,  and  returning  home  on 
Tuesday  of  the  next  week.  We  at  first 
intended  to  come  back  on  Saturday,  and 
took  with  us  only  provision  for  that  time. 
In  addition,  we  carried  our  blankets,  etc. 
We  found  that  at  \\\<A\  tide  a  canoe  could 
be  brought  quite  inland,  within  a  mile  of 
our  house,  by  a  little  winding  stream, 
which  after  a  really  labyrinthine  course 
at  length  found  its  way  to  the  great  river 
Chilcat ;  so  I  felt  brave,  in  my  short  flan- 
nel dress,  to  undertake  the  tramp,  espe- 
cially as  there  were  no  Indians  at  hand 
to  carry  us. 

Billy  Dickinson  had  taken  his  little  canoe 
across  the  trail  early  in  the  morning,  and 
at  noon,  after  an  early  lunch,  we  took  up 
the  march,  Baby  going  on  before  with  Billy, 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


n 


pie 
lis 
Jt 
to 

y: 


Sam  and  Mr.  Willard,  each  with  his  pack, 
Kittie  witli  a  little  bundle,  Mrs.  Dickinson  s 
two  little  Indians  with  her  hifj^gage,  and  she 
and  I  brini^ing  only  our  own  selves.  It  was 
a  beautiful  day,  cool  and  briorht,  and  such  a 
walk  I  never  had  before.  The  scenery  was 
of  almost  bewildering  beauty. 

I  longed  to  stop  only  to  enjoy  it  the 
more,  yet  new  features  constantly  urged 
us  forward.  Now  the  scene  was  in  the 
tropics,  great-leaved  plants  and  ferns,  both 
delicate  and  monstrous,  fruit,  flowers  and 
vines  on  every  side,  alders  dipping  their 
graceful  boughs  into  still  and  shady  waters, 
while  the  great  dark  pines  all  festooned 
with  moss,  like  the  real  Florida  moss,  over- 
shadowed the  whole.  Ai^ain,  the  trail  led 
into  beautiful  pasture-land  with  clumps  of 
trees  so  like  the  home  fruit  trees  that  it 
made  my  heart  jump.  We  crossed  Mr. 
Willard's  hay-field  where  the  sweet-smell- 
ing hay  stood  in  cocks  awaiting  the  com- 
pletion of  the  goat-house  vve  are  building 
of  iotifs. 

At  last  we  struck  the  stream,  just  wide 
enough  at  first  for  the  canoe,  which  was  a 


74 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


frail,  shaky  little  thinjLf.  Hilly  took  the 
prow  and  paddle;  Mrs.  Dickinson  the 
stern,  and  steered.  I  sat  flat  in  the  bot- 
tom of  the  middle  of  the  canoe,  and  I 
had  work  enou^rh  before  we  reached  the 
villai^e.  There  was  a  stron<^  w.id  and 
the  water  was  very  roui^h,  as  here  the 
river  becomes  quite  wide — a  mile  and  a 
half.  The  big  waves  shipped  us  plenty  of 
sea,  and,  as  we  sometimes  struck  them,  our 
crazy  little  boat  yawed  quite  perceptibly. 
It  kept  me  busy  dipping  to  keep  her  afloat. 
I  was  thankful  that  l^aby  was  safe  with  her 
father,  as  the  others  had  all  kept  the  trail. 

After  a  tedious  voyage  we  reached  the 
lower  village  at  about  five  o'clock  r.  m.,  wet 
to  the  skin  and  chilled.  The  trailers  had 
arrived  some  time  before  us,  and,  although 
Don-a-wok  was  away,  his  servant-girl  had 
opened  and  swept  out  his  house  for  us  ; 
freshly-washed  gravel  lay  on  the  hearth, 
and  she  was  just  lio-htini^  a  fire.  I  soon 
exchanged  my  wet  clothes  for  good  dry 
ones  I  had  brought  with  me,  then  s(;t  about 
getting  our  supper.  Presents  of  fish  and 
berries  began  to  come  in,  and  we  had  an 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


75 


nbiindant  meal.  Then  came  a  ^oocl  little 
feather-bed  for  me,  and  th(;  i)eople  bej^an 
to  Hock  in,  ea<j^er  to  see  and  hear.  We  had 
about  sixty-five  Indians  present,  and  gave 
them  a  service. 

We  slept  on  the  floor  about  the  great 
central  fire,  with  the  stars  shining  down  on 
us  through  the  many  openings  in  the  roof; 
for  it  is  a  rickety  old  house  and  small — not 
at  all  like  the  chief's  in  Chilcoot.  A  per- 
fect ijale  blew  before  morninij,  and  it 
seemed  as  though  the  timbers,  which  are 
tied  together  by  thongs  and  bark,  would 
certainly  blow  in  upon  us ;  but  I  judge 
'  they  have  stood  many  a  stronger  storm. 
We  hired  two  large  canoes  next  day  to 
take  us  to  the  upper  villages. 

This  canoeing  is  an  experience,  I  assure 
you.  The  canoe  is  hewn  from  a  single 
tree,  so  quite  narrow  for  its  length.  It  is 
admirably  adapted  to  these  waters,  but 
very  unsteady.  We  all  sit  single  file,  flat 
in  the  bottom  of  the  boat. 

The  first  part  of  the  way  we  went  brave- 
ly with  fidl  sails,  afterward  very  laboriously, 
the  Indians  poling  at  times,  and  again  wad- 


;6 


LIFE   IN  ALASKW. 


ing  and  drairirinir  the  canoe.  The  water 
is  very  shallow  in  places  and  the  current 
fearful. 

We  reached  the  first  village  about  seven 
o'clock  in  the  eveninij,  hunorry,  cold  and 
tired,  not  knowing  what  quarters  we  mii^dit 
find  for  the  night ;  but  the  Lord  provided. 
The  people  were  very  busy  with  their  sal- 
mon, and  their  houses  were  very  crowdcxl 
with  it  and  the  strangers  who  had  come  up 
the  river  to  fish,  but  there  was  a  fine  large 
house  in  course  of  erection.  It  had  the 
boards  or  planks  fastened  together  on  the 
four  sides,  the  roof  as  yet  consisting  of  the 
rafters ;  the  turf,  all  fresh  and  green,  formed 
the  floor ;  windows  we  had  no  need  of,  and 
there  was  a  place  for  a  door.  It  was  cor- 
dially opened  to  us,  and  we  soon  had  a 
most  irenerous  fire  blazing  in  the  midst. 

The  owner  of  the  house  was  so  pleased 
to  have  us  occupy  his  new  house  that  he 
sent  in  wash-bowls  full  of  berries  and  fish- 
oil,  also  fresh  salmon,  and  we  again  par- 
took of  a  bountiful  supper.  But  cooking 
by  such  a  fire  is  slow  work,  particularly 
when  subject  to  so  many  interruptions  as 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


77 


the  trav(;llii!:,^  missionary  has ;  so,  after  it 
aiul  the  many  j^rcctini^s  and  httlc  speccht's, 
wc  were  too  weary  to  do  more  than  sing 
them  a  hymn  and  bid  them  come  to  an 
early-morning  meeting.  Our  Indians  reared 
their  sails  on  their  poK:s  against  the  side 
of  the  buikling,  these  forming  a  shed  for 
our  blankets,  and  there  we  found  refresh- 
ing sleep,  not  disturbed  by  the  odors  of  an 
old  Indian  house. 

Next  morning,  after  an  early  breakfast 
of  salmon  roasted  on  a  stick,  bread,  but- 
ter and  coffee,  we  had  a  sunrise  meeting 
of  about  seventy-five  Indians,  who  gave 
almost  breathless  attention.  Then,  bid- 
ding them  good-bye,  receiving  their  hearty 
thanks  with  expressions  of  joy  at  our  com- 
ing, and  after  urging  them  again  to  come 
to  our  place  and  build  where  they  could 
have  school  and  regular  service,  we  once 
more  took  our  canoe,  with  borrowed  poles 
of  strom^cr  make  than  our  own — for  the 
rapids  lay  before  us — and  we  were  soon 
on  our  way  to  Clok-won,  the  uppermost 
village,  not  knowing  what  awaited  us,  for 
we  had  learned  on  the  way  that  the  trou- 


78 


LIFE   IX  ALASKA. 


ble,  which  had  hccMi  smoothed  ovct  in  tlie 
presence  of  the  man-of-war,  had  l)roken 
out  at^^ain,  and  that  the  people  were  in  the 
midst  of  war. 

W(i  ft'lt  the  i^^reater  necessity  of  hastcMi- 
ini;-  forward,  trusting-  that  the  Lord,  who 
brought  us  hither,  would  give  us  the  ears 
and  hearts  of  the  people  ;  and  we  did  not 
trust  in  vain.  Oh  how  thankful  we  have 
been  that  we  did  thus  t>"0  on  !  We  found 
the  [)eople  in  trouble,  and  we  brought  th(;m 
comf(jrt;  w  ■  found  them  warring,  and  we 
brought  them  peace.  We  found  one  poor 
man  on  the  brink  of  murder  and  suicide, 
and  Ik;  assured  us  that  our  coming  had 
saved  him  from  this  double  sin  ;  that  his 
heart  was  broken  and  he  was  in  the  deep 
dark,  but  the  minister's  comiui/  had  brought 
him  hope  and  light. 

W(;  found  Clok-won  by  far  the  largest 


bid 


lan  villao'e  we 


hav 


e  seen   m 


Alasl 


iva,  as 


well  as  the  richest  and  most  substantially 
built,  many  of  the  houses  being  elegant  in 
their  way.  The  carvings  in  many  of  thcMii 
ar(;  worth  thousands  of  l)lank(;ts.  Three 
of  th(;  largest  of  these   houses  belon*'-  to 


sanwPB* 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


79 


in 


Shat-c-ritch,  and  the  laro^est  and  costliest 
one  he  has  given  to  the  mission  ;  ''n  it  we 
held  our  service  on  Sunday.  The  next  in 
\ahie  to  it  (the  chief's  treasure-house)  was 
nvddv.  our  lodging-place.  We  found  many 
of  the  houses  turned  into  forts,  and  barri- 
cades in  plenty. 

There  are  four  distinct  tribal  families — 
tlu;  Wolves  and  Whales,  which  are  nearly 
connected  and  of  low  caste ;  the  Crows 
and  Cinnamon  lU'ars,  of  high  caste  and 
connected  in  like  manner  by  intermar- 
riatres.  It  is  not  lawful  for  those  of  the 
same  family  to  intermarry,  though  a  man 
may  have  a  woman  and  her  daughter  both 
to  wife. 

The  war  has  been  between  the  Whales,  of 
low  caste,  and  the  Crows,  of  high ;  hence  the 
much  aggravated  trouble,  one  Crow  being 
worth  many  Whales.  And,  of  all  the  peo- 
ple, the  Whales  have  most  of  our  pity  and 
sympathy.  They  are  weak  in  numbers  and 
comparatively  poor  in  i)urse.  They  are 
afraid  to  move  out  of  their  houses,  and 
are  literally  prisoners  in  their  own  homes, 
almost  everv  one  of  which  has  been  made 


8o 


LIFE  L\  A  LAS  k' A. 


desolate.  Signs  of  niournin^^  are  on  every 
hand ;  the  beautiful  hair  of  the  women  is 
cut  close  to  the  head  and  their  fac(."s  are 
blackened ;  the  carving's  covered  with  red 
mattinir;  the  box  and  moccasins  of  their 
dead  placed  on  a  shelf  over  the  door  from 
which  they  went  out  never  to  return. 

We  held  a  separate  meeting  for  them  in 
the  afternoon,  rs  they  could  not  come  to 
the  other,  in  the  same  house  where  the 
whole  trouble  began  ;  it  was  riddled  with 
bullet-holes.  The  very  spots  were  pointed 
out  to  us  where  this  one,  t..at  one  and  an- 
other had  been   shot  down. 

First,  the  eldest  son  murdered  a  Crow  ; 
he  ran  away  to  the  Stick  country.  The 
Crows  retaliated.  Then  the  second  son 
made  some  show  of  revenge ;  they  de- 
manded his  life,  and  his  wife,  who  was  a 
Crow,  defended  and  protected  him.  The 
poor  old  mother's  heart  was  broken  with 
sorrow  and  shame.  She  called  on  her  son 
to  give  himself  up,  but  in  vain.  She  even 
followed  the  first  son  to  the  int(,'rior  on  the 
same  quest.  Not  succeeding,  she  n^turned, 
and,  dressing  the'mselves  up  in  their  best, 


I.ll'E    /X  ALASKA. 


8i 


s 


she  and  Ik.t  ! 'ucrhtcr  went  out  and  de- 
manded to  be  shot,  that  the  honor  of  their 
family  mi^ht  Ix;  maintained  ;  so  they  per- 
ished at  the  hands  of  the  Crows.  But  they 
two  were  not  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  claim, 
and  at  last  the  son  came  to  the  door  and 
L^a.'  liimself  u[> ;  but  his  wife  still  clung-  to 
him.  They  have  a  terror  of  disfigurement 
even  in  death,  and  she  beor<^ed  that  he  be 
allowed  to  descend  to  the  foot  of  the  steps, 
that  his  body  might  not  fall  and  be  bruised. 
The  Crows  suspected  her  of  treachery  in 
this  move,  as  she  had  so  long  shielded 
him,  and  they  shot  her  down  where  she 
stood,  alth(jugh  she  was  a  Oow.  I  believe 
her  husband  was  afterward  killed. 

When  we  entered  the  house,  I  think  I 
never  met  a  more  desolate  sight.  Dirt, 
cobwebs,  ashes  and  implemtmts  of  warfare 
lay  all  about;  a  few  half-dead  coals  lay  on 
the  unkept  hearth,  and  thc^  only  remaining 
member  of  the  household  sat  on  the  floor 
beside  it,  his  head  on  his  knees  and  an  old 
hat  drawn  over  \-. — a  young  man,  but  one 
who  had  evidently  lost  the  hope  and  pow- 
er of  youth.      There,  into  that  bouse,  we 


82 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


brought    the   gospel    of    light   and   peace. 
Bless    God,    as    we    did,  for    such    a    mes- 


sage. 


A  way  was  opened  for  us  to  a  man  in 
one  of  the  forts  upon  whose  death  or  re- 
covery hangs  the  settlement  of  the  mat- 
ter between  the  tribes.  We  found  him 
very  sick,  and  ministered  to  him  as  best 
we  could,  as  to  both  temporal  and  spirit- 
ual things. 

A  Crow  family  had  lost  a  son  by  death 
after  a  short  ilhiess,  and  they  had  just  re- 
turned from  the  burning  of  the  body  when 
we  arrived.  W(;  brought  them  word  of 
that  world  lo  them  so  full  of  mystery,  and 
of  the  life  to  come. 

The  Crows  are  powerful,  rich,  arrogant 
and  exceedingly  overbearing — at  least, 
some  of  them  are,  especially  when  they 
have  hoochinoo.  As  a  poor  Wolf  told 
us,  they  robbed  and  ruined  their  homes 
and  murdered  their  families,  then  taunted 
them  with  being  *'  killed  like  dogs  and 
never  making  them  pay  for  it,"  thus  try- 
ing to  exasperate  them  into  completing 
their  own  ruin. 


LIFE  m  AI.ASK'A. 


83 


Mr.  Willard  preached  for  an  hour  and 
a  half,  showing"  them  how  they  were  Hy- 
ing in  antagonism  to  the  great  God,  and 
must  p('rish  if  they  did  not  surrender. 
He  told  tliem,  too,  of  the  love  of  God,  and 
how  he  not  only  demanded  no  satisfacdoii 
for  the  death  of  his  Son,  but  freely  gave 
him  to  save  his  enemies. 

Shat-e-ritch  is  of  higher  caste  than  any 
other  chief  of  the  Chilcats,  beintr  a  Cinna- 
mon  l^ear  and  very  rich.  He  occupies  a 
neutral  position  in  this  trouble,  except  as 
he  is  connected  with  the  Crow^  and  tries 
to  make  peace,  though  his  power  does  not 
extend  over  any  but  his  own  tribe.  He 
received  us  hrst  into  his  own  house,  ofiv- 
ing  us  the  place  of  honor.  He  soon  in- 
(juired  as  to  how  long  we  expected  to  stay. 
Informing  him  that  we  had  intended  to  go 
back  that  afternoon  (for  the  current  is  so 
swift  that  we  come  down  in  two  or  three 
hours,  when  it  rec^uires  one  and  someumcs 
two  days  to  go  up)  we  were  tWd  that  the 
people's  hearts  would  be  too  sick  if  we  dii! 
not  stay  over  Sunday  with  them ;  we  ihen 
told  him  that  we  had  no  food  for  \\\kX  time, 


84 


LIFE   I  A'  A /.ASK A. 


or  WO  would  L,daclly  stay,  I  Ic  replied  that 
Mrs.  Dickinson  (our  interpreter)  could 
speak  for  Indian  or  white  man.  She  must 
command  his  house — ask  for  whatever  we 
needed.  His  wife  brought  out  wheat-flour 
and  baking-powder,  and  made  bread.  They 
sent  us  in  everything  that  we  could  n^quire, 
and  gave  us  new  blankets  and  pillows  for 
b(!d(ling,  fixing  us  up  in  the  treasure-house. 
Several  other  Indians  brouLZ-ht  and  sent 
in  berries  and  salmon  at  different  times. 
They  always  expect  a  full  e([uivalent  for 
every  gift  they  make  :  still,  they  give  free- 
ly, and  it  is  pleasant  to  receive. 

i')x\  Sabbath,  Shat-e-ritch  called  the  head- 
men of  his  people  together  in  his  house  to 
a  feast  for  the  s{)ecial  purp''se  of  making 
Baby  and  me  Cinnamon  Hears  and  settling 
on  the  names  th(;y  should  give  us.  I  knew 
nodiing  about  it,  until  toward  evening  they 
brought  me  my  name,  and  the  presents  be- 
gan to  pour  in  from  all  my  relatives,  old 
gray-haired  men  and  women  calling  me 
"aunt"  and  calling  Baby  "aunt."  They 
had  given  me  the  highest  name  ev(;r  held 
by  even  Cinnamon  Bears — viz.,  "  Nauk-y- 


I.U'E    IN  ALASKA. 


85 


Still " — and  Baby's  is  next  in  honor,  being 
•''Ilin<^-^"ct  vSawye  K-Cotz-e." 

Generations  a<^o  they  first  saw  copper; 
it  came  in  bits  on  the  wrecks  of  some 
vessels.  The  people  prized  it  more  than 
o;old ;  it  was  the  o^reatest  of  wonders  to 
them.  No  man  could  get  enough  skins 
or  blankets  to  pay  for  more  than  the  least 
little  pieces  of  it.  Thousands  of  blank^^ts 
were  required  to  pay  for  them,  and  their 
<>reatest  ambition  was  to  <^et  these  bil.. 
to'^ether  in  a  carvinof  of  the  Cinnamon 
F>ear's  head,  which  would  bind  them  strong- 
ly tog(!ther  and  make  one  whole  of  the 
many  mites.  This  i;:  the  meaning  of  my 
name,  the  Cinnamon  Hear's  head  holdinir 
together  anc'  making  one  priceless  treas- 
ure of  these  bits  of  copper. 

I  wish  you  could  have  seen  them  as  they 
told  me  of  this,  gathered  in  thai  great  dark 
house  with  its  hundreds  of  carved  vessels 
and  boxes  of  blankets  and  oil,  and  every 
other  Indian  treasure,  their  strong,  earnest, 
kindly  features  lighted  up  from  within  by 
the  love  the}-  h(jr*'  me,  and  from  without 
by  the  great  crackling,  blazing  fire  in   the 


86 


LIIE   IN  ALASKA. 


middle  of  the  room.  They  sat  about  it, 
and  I  stood  before  them  touched  by  this 
demonstration.  When  they  were  throucrh, 
I  answered  that  my  heart  was  full ;  surely 
they  were  my  brothers.  They  had  told  me 
the  meaning  of  my  name,  and  now  I,  the 
first  white  woman  that  had  ever  borne  it, 
wished  to  tell  them  the  new  and  even  more 
precious  meaninor  which  I  wished  it  to  bear 
henceforth.  All  the  Chilcat  people  wc;re 
to  nie  most  priceless  bits  of  copper.  Their 
bitterness  had  kept  them  apart :  the  bits 
were  owned  by  enemies.  Now  love  was 
brouL^ht,  enouorh  to  buy  them  all.  They 
had  made  mc  the  great  Cinnamon  Bear's 
head  to  bind  all  these  precious  pieces  into 
one.  Now  there  should  be  no  more  pieces, 
no  more  enemies,  but  all  one,  till  at  last 
the  "  Nauk-y-stih,"  with  all  the  bits  of  cop- 
per which  made  it  such  a  treasure,  shniild 
be  borne  to  the  great  Chief  above.  I  had 
dear  brothers  at  home ;  while  I  was  there 
it  was  my  thought  always  how  I  could  do 
them  good.  So  now,  to  my  Indian  brothers, 
came  the  ^ame  thought,  and  because  they 
had  shown  their  love  for  me  I  wanted  to 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


87 


ask  th(Mn,  as  brothers,  to  help  \wv.  do  them 
tlie  jL^reatcst  L,^ood  I  could  think  of  now: 
that  was  to  put  away  that  bad  drink — a/l 
had  drinks  ;  they  knew  what  it  had  done 
for  their  villa^re  and  for  their  hom(!s. 

God  only  knows  how  much  of  the  seed 
found  a  fruitful  soil ;  but  oh,  we  have  his 
])romises,  and  we  want  to  keep  them  close 
to  our  hearts. 

We  came  away  on  Monday  loaded  with 
presents  and  the  thanks  of  all  the  people. 
They  (.'ven  said,  "We  believe  your  (iod 
sent  you  here  at  that  very  hour  to  save  us 
from  war  and  death  ;  the  [)eople  would  not 
fi^ht  when  they  heard  the  minister  was 
comint;,  and  now  they  have  heard  better." 

We  stopped  a  few  moments,  without 
leavin<^  our  canoes,  at  the  middle  village. 
I  lere  my  new  relatives  had  heard  of  my 
''Teat  name,  and  came  out  bearinof  me 
still  other  presents  of  dried-berry  cake 
and  dried  salmon. 

It  soon  beL^an  to  rain  and  blow.  The 
waves  tossed  our  canoe  and  the  spray 
dashed  over  us,  wettini^  the  entire  crew. 
Many  times   it  seemed    almost  impossible 


88 


LIFE  IN  ^II.ASKA. 


to  reach  the  shore  that  (hiy  ;   hut  we  did, 
and  in  safety. 

It  was  too  stormy  to  attempt  crossiniL^ 
the  bar  that  tlay  ;  so  we  took  up  our  (piar- 
ters  in  Dona-wok's  house  attain,  where  we 
were  shelteri.'d  from  much  of  the  wind,  even 
thouirh  the  rain  did  come  throuirh.  We  had 
another  deho;htful  Httle  meeting-  there,  and 
next  day  reached  home,  where  we  found 
all  thini^^s  safely  kept  for  us. 

We  were  tirc^d,  but  none  of  us  sick;  all 
kept  safe  and  well  throuiL^h  storm  and  s(!a 
and  war,  and  (iod  nave  us  in^reat  peace;. 
We  did  not  take  the  least  cold — not  even 
Baby,  who  enjoyed  the  trip,  in  her  way, 
as  much  as  any  of  us.  And  I  assure  you 
we  did  enjoy  it  all ;  even  danj^cr  was 
robbed   of  its   terror.  .   .  . 

September  IS. — Don-a-wok  has  been  here 
to-day.  He  seemed  sad,  but  we  see  great 
reason  for  rejoicinor  even  in  what  seems  to 
be  a  trial  to  him,  for  he  is  standing-  by  his 
principles  like  a  man.  It  seems  that  the 
bride  which  was  to  have  been  was  willing 
to  come  with  him,  and  all  her  friends  were 
satisfied  with  the  exception  of  one  sister, 


LIhE   IN  ALASKA. 


89 


who  (l(!mancl(;(l  a  slave  from  Don-a-vvok. 
Now,  he  had  owned  slaves,  but  some  time 
\v^o  he,  and  Shat-e-ritch  too,  made  them  all 
tree  and  paid  thcMii ;  so  he  refused  to  <^ive 
a  slav('  and  lost  his  wife. 

This  trip  to  Sitka  seems  to  have  done 
all  the  Indians  u^ood.  They  saw  the  briofht 
school  there,  old  and  youni^  learnini^'-  to 
rc^ad,  and  they  tell  us  that  it  made  them 
ashamed.  Mr.  Willard  assured  them  that 
if  they  would  only  now  come  toij^ether  and 
set  to  work  th(!y  could  have  a  school  supe- 
rior to  that  of  Sitka,  for  they  are  a  strontj^er 
p(•opl(^      They  seem  anxious  to  do  so. 

l)on-a-wok  is  a  chief  of  the  Crows,  hut 
of  the  two  lower  villaij^es  ;  they  have  noth- 
WY^  to  do  with  the  fii^htini^  in  the  upper- 
most villai(e.  Neither  do  the  Crows  of 
Chilcoot,  who  are  nlso  very  friendly  to  us, 
and  very  peacc^iihle.  I)on-a-wok  claims 
Mr.  Willard  as  h-  brother,  and  is  cToina 
to  name   him  soon. 

I  for^j^ot  to  tell  you  the  meaning  of  Baby's 
nauK^ :  it  is  "  a  mighty  city','  where  all  the 
people  are  exempt  from  sickness,  sorrow 
and  poverty — all  are  ij^reat. 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MSSO 

(716)  872-4503 


au 


90 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


While  we  were  away  we  discovered  some 
needs ;  one  was  a  large  hand-bell  for  call- 
ing the  people  togedier.  In  lieu  of  it,  Mr. 
Willard  and  I  made  a  tour  of  the  villao^e, 
taking  it  house  by  house,  when  we  were 
ready  to  have  them  come  to  meeting.  Oh 
how  we  wished  for  our  flag ! 

Another  need  for  our  school,  the  Indian 
room  also,  is  maps  of  the  United  States 
and  of  the  world,  also  a  globe,  and  an  organ 
for  our  church  and  school.  The  people  are 
very  fond  of  music,  and  learn  quickly  the 
tunes  we  have  taught  them  word  by  word 
and  note  by  note,  but  you  would  hardly 
recognize  our  old  familiar  hymns ;  their 
voices  are  so  strong  and  they  sing  with 
such  a  will  that  my  voice  makes  no  im- 
pression at  all.  I  cannot  stem  such  a  flood, 
but  an  instrument  would  help  this  difficulty. 
Our  piano,  of  course,  is  for  our  house ;  it 
cannot  be  moved  back  and  forth.  Another 
thing  we  must  have :  a  mission  canoe.  We 
have  the  largest  mission  field  in  Alaska, 
and  in  many  respects  the  most  important. 
We  must  go  by  canoes  to  reach  the  greater 
number  of  our  people.     Go  we  must,  and 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


91 


it  costs  us  from  five  to  ten  dollars  every 
trip.  Mr.  Willard  expects  to  go  up  this 
winter  by  skates  and  snow-shoes,  but  as 
soon  as  the  river  becomes  naviofable  attain 
in  the  spring  we  expect  to  make  the  rounds 
once  a  month.  We  already  see  good  of 
our  first  trip,  and  feel  the  importance  of 
this  itinerating  work.  It  must  be  done  be- 
fore we  get  the  people  in  any  great  num- 
bers to  come  to  us.  In  time  we  trust  that 
this  will  become  the  great  centre,  but  it  will 
be  a  long  time,  for  the  people  have  good 
houses  and  are  loth  to  leave  them.  Some, 
indeed,  are  7i(nv  ready  to  come,  but  they 
are  a  small  minority,  and  there  is  so  much 
difficulty  as  yet  about  getting  ready  lumber. 
It  requires  an  enormous  amount  of  labor  to 
build  as  they  do. 

September  26. — Still  no  steamer.  We 
have  been  in  daily  expectation  of  her  ar- 
rival for  three  weeks,  but  oh  so  thankful 
that  our  Sabbaths  were  not  broken  in  upon 
by  her  coming !  We  are  having  beautiful 
weather  again. 

We  have  such  good  news  from  the  up- 
per village !     After  vve  left  they  began  to 


93 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


make  peace  in  earnest.  The  last  cutting- 
affray  was  promptly  paid  for  in  blankets ; 
the  wounded  man,  upon  whose  fate  so 
much  hung  in  getting  a  settlement,  is  now 
rapidly  recovering. 

The  Crows  took  into  their  houses  the 
young  man  in  whose  house  we  held  ser- 
vice for  the  Whales,  treating  him  to  the 
very  best  of  everything  they  possessed, 
having  him  both  eat  and  sleep  with  them ; 
and  the  Whales  took  into  their  homes,  in 
the  same  way,  the  great  Crow  terror,  "  The 
Murderer."  This  is  their  way  of  express- 
ing perfect  satisfaction,  confidence  and 
peace,  and  now  the  feasting  and  dancing 
are  going  on.  The  lower  villages  have 
joined  them  in  this ;  and  if  only  molasses 
(for  the  distillation  of  ardent  spirits)  can 
be  kept  from  them,  we  hope  for  a  new  era. 
It  will  indeed  be  a  new  and  blessed  era 
when  the  government  makes  it  a  crime 
for  men  to  sell  death.  They  have  promised, 
many  of  them,  to  come  down  to  us  here 
when  the  feasting  is  over. 

We  hope  to  be  able  to  begin  regular  in- 
door work  and  study  by  the  ist  of  October. 


I 


I.IFR   IN  ALASKA. 


93 


We  are  exceedingly  anxious  to  get  the  lan- 
guage, there  is  so  much  we  long  to  say 
which  we  cannot  get  others  to  say  for  us. 
Mr.  Dickinson  is  a  very,  very  kind  friend 
to  us.  His  wife  says  she  has  told  him  to 
go  on  and  leave  her  here  a  while  until  we 
learn  to  speak  a  little,  but  he  will  not  con- 
sent to  do  that,  and  Kittie  is  to  go  back  to 
the  Home  by  the  first  safe  opportunity ;  so 
that,  in  case  they  do  go,  we  will  be  not  only 
the  only  whites,  but  the  only  persons  in  all 
the  Chilcat  country  who  speak  English. 
We  would  not  care  if  only  we  could 
make  these  people  understand  our  mes- 
sage ;  but  it  is  God's  work :  he  will  not 
suffer  it  to  languish.  .  .  . 


To  the  Presbyterian  Sabbath  School  in  East 
Springfield,  Neu)  York. 

Chilcat  Mission, 

Haines,  Alaska,  October  24,  1881. 

My  Dear  Friends:  Three  eventful 
months  have  passed  since  our  former  let- 
ter was  written  to  you  from  Sitka,  when 
we  knew  but  little  more  of  our  present 
home  and  work  than  did  you,  so  far  away. 


94 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


Now  we  are  domiciled,  and  almost  as 
much  at  home  as  thoucfh  we  had  \n'.v.x\ 
born  here,  but  oh  how  thankful  that  ours 
was  a  more  favored  lot ! 

We  spoke  of  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson  hav- 
ing joined  us  at  Sitka  by  the  July  st(;am(!r 
from  Portland,  Oregon.  May  God  bless 
that  good  man,  the  true  friend  of  mis- 
sionaries and  of  Alaska ! 

In  Fort  Wrancrell  and  Sitka  the  mission- 
aries  are  well  housed  in  buildings  erecKid 
and  occupied  by  the  Russian  governm(!nt 
during  their  rule,  but  here  in  the  Chilcat 
country  no  white  men  had  ever  liv(rd  (!X- 
cept  the  trader  who  preceded  us  a  few 
months,  the  husband  of  our  interpreter, 
Mrs.  Dickinson.  When  we  left  home,  it 
was  with  a  knowledge  of  this  fact,  and 
with  the  expectation  of  living  in  tents  un- 
til we  could  get  out  logs  and  put  up  such 
a  house  as  we  could.  Dr.  Jackson  made 
this  unnecessary  by  giving  us  the  nettdcrd 
help,  and  I  have  no  doubt  he  saved  the 
life  of  one  missionary. 

In  two  weeks  after  our  arrival  here — 
which  was  on  the  i8th  of  July — our  friends 


Lllli   IN  ALASKA. 


95 


Drs.  Jackson  and  Corlics,  with  the  three 
carpenters,  left  us  for  Hoyd,  where  they 
were  to  put  up  a  schoc^l-  and  dwelHng- 
house  for  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Styles,  who  have 
since  taken  charge  of  that  mission  among 
the  Hoonyahs.  Mrs.  Styles  is  the  younger 
daughter  of  Mr.  Austin,  of  the  Sitka  mis- 
sion, and  was  married  on  the  15th  of  Au- 
gust last.  Our  hous<!  was,  of  course,  very 
incomplete,  but  the  frafne  was  up  and  the 
roof  on,  the  floor  laid  and  some  of  the 
doors  hung ;  so  w(t  came  right  into  it  and 
went  on  with  th(i  work,  carpentering,  cabi- 
net-making (for  wij  brought  no  furniture 
with  us  save  one  chair,  a  little  stand  and 
the  stove),  gardc;n-gn  bing,  tree-felling, 
and  stable-building  from  logs,  quarters  for 
our  goats  (a  pair  of  which  we  brought  with 
us  from  Sitka  to  supply  our  baby  with  milk), 
cutting  grass  for  th(i  goats'  winter  food 
with  case-  and  pocket-knives  (for  a  scythe 
was  overlooked  in  our  outfit),  receiving 
the  Indians  who  canur  in  to  see  the  won- 
derful things  the  minister  had  brought, 
cutting  garments  for  them  and  trying  to 
help  their  sick,  preaching,  etc.,  almost  with- 


96 


I.U'l-:    IN  ALASKA. 


out  end,  as  it  seems  to  us  still,  so  busy  are 
we,  and  so  much  work  yet  to  do  before  we 
get  down  to  even  our  appropriate  labor. 
With  all  this,  we  have  made  a  tour  of  our 
villages — four  in  number;  and  this  brings 
me  back  to  the  main  subject. 

Before  leaving  Sitka  we  intended  to  lo- 
cate in  the  upjier  village,  thirty  miles  up 
the  Chilcat  River,  as  it  is  the  largest  of  the 
four;  but,  finding  that  we  could  not  get 
the  lumber  up — for  the  river  was  low  at 
that  time — we  decided  upon  this  as  the 
best  point  the  district  afforded,  although 
four  and  a  half  mihis  from  the  nearest  vil- 
lage. Except  a  f(;w  bark  huts  which  the 
Indians  put  up  last  winter,  the  only  build- 
ing besides  our  own  is  the  trading-post. 
If  we  could  have  spoken  the  language,  we 
would  have  gone  to  the  upper  village  and 
opened  a  school — for  this  winter,  at  least ; 
but  we  have  a  year's  hard  work  before  us 
in  getting  fixed  up  and  studying  the  lan- 
guage. It  seems  in  many  respects  the 
better  plan  to  try  to  build  a  missionary 
village  here  something  after  the  plan  of 
Met-lah-kat-lah,  in  the  British  Possessions. 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


97 


In  the  first  place,  we  secure  those  who  are 
most  in  earnest  to  hear  and  learn  ;  leav- 
mg  their  old  places  and  coming  to  us  will 
in  itself  be  an  uprooting  for  good. 

In  this  way,  too,  we  keep  our  work 
largely  free  from  the  petty  jealousies  of 
tribe  and  village  chiefs,  which,  though  they 
be  petty,  are  very  strong.  Had  we  gone 
to  any  one  of  the  villages,  it  would  in  the 
eyes  of  all  have  been  allying  ourselves 
with  the  chief  of  that  place,  and  quite 
enough  to  deter  the  proud  people  from 
joining  us,  lest  they  be  counted  as  his  sub- 
jects. As  it  is,  this  is  the  minister's  place, 
as  they  call  it,  and  all  are  free  to  come 
without  compromising  tribal  relations. 

The  lower  village,  as  the  nearest  of  the 
three  on  Chilcat  River  is  called,  is  coming 
over  in  a  body  to  see  us.  They  have  been 
very  busy  getting  ready  to  come.  Their 
food  is  mostly  gathered  in  the  month  of 
September,  and  consists  principally  of  dried 
salmon,  berries  and  salmon-oil.  They  have 
some  potatoes,  too,  which  had  to  be  dug 
and  housed.  Now  all  is  completed,  we 
hear,  and  they  will  soon  be  with  us.     The 

7 


98 


LIFE    LV  ALASA'.t. 


bulk  of  their  provisions  will  be  left  until 
heavy  snowfall,  when  the  people  travel  with 
much  greater  ease  on  snow-shoes.  Some 
from  each  of  the  other  villages  have  prom- 
ised to  come  soon. 

It  is  too  late  in  the  season  now  for  them 
to  do  much  in  the  way  of  building  ;  we  must 
be  content  to  have  homes  a  matter  of 
growth.  Perhaps  some  day  there  will  be 
a  mission  steamer  in  Alaskan  waters  which 
will  convey  lumber  from  the  mission  mill  to 
mission  villages  for  prices  which  will  enable 
the  Indians  to  build  comfortable  houses. 

We  have  word  to-day  that  I)on-a-wok 
has  taken  a  wife,  or  rather  a  child  who  is 
to  be  his  wife  in  the  course  of  time.  Such 
queer  customs  they  have  !  When  a  couple 
are  married,  they  adopt  a  boy  and  a  girl 
to  train  up  in  their  own  ways,  to  take  their 
place  in  the  event  of  death.  If  the  husband 
dies  first,  the  boy  becomes  husband  to  the 
widow ;  if  the  wife  is  taken  first,  the  girl 
takes  her  place.  Thus  we  often  see  a 
young  boy  with  a  decrepit  wife,  and  old 
men  in  their  dotage  sometimes  have  mere 
child-wives.     In  case  there  is  no  such  sue- 


ces 
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LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


lOI 


ccssor  provided  lor,  tlu;  fr'uMuls  of  the  de- 
ceased partner  ihiini  the  rii^ht  to  appoint 
one  from  their  own  niunher.  This  was 
the  whole  trouble,  as  we  believe,  in  Don-a- 
wok's  case.  His  failure  to  secure  the  wife 
he  wanted  from  a  strang-er-tribe  was,  no 
doubt,  the  result  of  intrigue  on  the  part 
of  his  connexions  here,  who  were  deter- 
mined to  make  him  take  his  former  wife's 
nieces.  They  wished  him  to  take  two  of 
them,  but  he  resolutely  refused,  saying-  that 
the  minister  did  not  like  such  marriages. 
Me  said  it  was  wrong  and  he  would  not 
do  it,  but  he  yielded  so  far  as  to  take  one 
— a  little  girl  about  thirteen  years  old. 
She  is  called  his  wife,  and  he  has  taken 
her  into  his  house  to  care  for  her,  but 
they  will  probably  not  be  married  for  two 
or  three  years.  He  is  anxious  to  have  her 
go  to  school. 

None  of  the  maps  of  Alaska  that  we 
have  seen  give  any  idea  of  the  Chilcat 
country.  Linn  Channel  is  shown,  and  we 
are  located  at  its  head,  where  indenting 
the  western  shore,  is  our  little  Portage  Bay. 
Just  to  the  north  is  the  mouth  of  Chilcoot 


fm 


I02 


/-//7t    /jV  ALASh'A. 


River,  which  rises  in  a  beautiful  lake  of 
the  same  name  about  ten  miles  distant, 
and  near  which  is  the  Chilcoot  village. 
Chilcat  River'  is  something  over  a  mile  to 
the  westward,  and  is  a  mile  and  a  half  wide. 
It  joins  the  channel  about  seven  miles 
south ;  so  that,  while  by  trail  or  portage  it 
is  but  little  more  than  four  miles  to  the 
lower  Chilcat  village  it  is  more  than  fifteen 
miles  by  water.  The  little  peninsula  formed 
by  this  large  river  and  the  channel  is  the 
largest  level  tract  which  we  have  seen  in 
Alaska,  and  is  quite  good  soil.  We  hope  in 
time  to  make  it  a  mission  farm,  and  to  in- 
duce the  Indians  to  raise  more  wholesome 
food  than  they  now  use.  There  is  good 
ground  enough  to  produce  here  bread  and 
beef  for  the  entire  present  population  of 
the  "thirty-mile  strip." 

While  our  immediate  surroundings  are 
almost  flat,  the  country  generally  is  moun- 
tainous and  picturesque  in  the  extreme. 
When  we  came,  in  July,  the  whole  penin- 
sula was  one  mass  of  flowers  and  vines. 
In  places  the  vegetation  was  almost  tropi- 
cal for  richness ;  one's  steps  sank  into  the 


A   CIIILCAT   MAN, 

Front  a  Drawing  by  Mrs.  Wiilard. 

Tlie  buckskin  suit  is  trimiucd  witJi  fur  ami  quills.     The  narrow  snow-shoe 
is  used  in  hunting  and  running,  and  ti.j  broad  one  in  packing. 


/.//'/;    fX  A  I.  AS  A' A. 


105 


wealth  of  mosses,  and  this  though  the  sun 
rose  and  set  in  ice,  for  the  mountains  which 
cruard  us  on  every  hand  are  crowned  with 
"everlasting  snow,"  some  fifteen  glaciers 
bcine  visible  from  our  windows. 

Our  first  snow-storm  this  fall  came  on 
the  2 1  St  of  September.  On  the  26th  of 
that  month  ice  formed  in  our  barrel  of 
rain-water  one-fourth  of  an  inch  in  thick- 
ness. So,  you  see,  our  climate  here  dif- 
fers very  much  from  that  of  Sitka  or  Wran- 
gell.  We  are  almost  beyond  the  influence 
of  the  Japan  current. 

Our  school  was  opened  on  the  8th  of 
August,  but,  owing  to  the  distance  from 
the  villages  and  the  fall-work  of  the  peo- 
ple, the  attendance  has  been  very  small  so 
far — often  not  more  than  two  or  three  ;  but 
these  have  been  taught.  One  litde  fellow, 
whom  we  call  Willis,  is  pardcularly  bright 
and  faithful.  He  brings  dried  salmon 
enoueh  to  do  him  throus^^h  the  week,  and 
sleeps  in  Mrs.  Dickinson's  wood-house. 
Getting  in  the  salmon  is  quite  a  festival 
with  the  Indians,  and  at  the  close  of  the 
season  they  have  much  feasting  and  dan- 


io6 


LIFE   IN  ALASA'A. 


cing.  When  Willis  went  over  to  the  village 
for  his  week's  provision,  the  people  tried 
to  persuade  him  to  stay  and  enjoy  the  fun 
with  his  brothers,  sisters  and  friends ;  but 
his  answer,  so  firmly  given,  was,  '*  Why 
should  I  stay  here,  where  I  learn  only  evil  ? 
I  am  going  back  to  the  minister's  place, 
where  I  can  hear  good ;"  and  the  little 
fellow  has  resolutely  adhered  to  his  pur- 
pose. He  is  only  ten  or  eleven  years  old, 
can  read  easy  English  lessons  and  recites 
all  the  tract  primer  catechism.  One  other 
little  boy — Mark,  son  of  one  of  the  suc- 
ceeding chiefs — has  learned  the  letters 
also ;  we  have  promised  them  each  a  book 
when  we  can  get  them.  We  had  hoped 
to  be  able  to  give  them  some  sort  of  a 
pleasant  Christmas ;  I  still  hope  we  shall 
make  it  a  pleasant  and  profitable  day,  al- 
though we  have  no  presents  for  them. 

Mr.  Willard  has  preached  twice  every 
Sabbath,  besides  our  preaching- tour  to  the 
villages  and  the  occasions  when  we  caught 
a  company  through  the  week,  and  always 
to  attentive,  often  to  eager,  listeners. 

We  are  seeing  already  a  few  triumphs 


IJFE    IN  ALASKA. 


107 


over  witchcraft  and  the  power  of  the 
medicine-men,  and  have  had  some  pre- 
cious bits  of  encouragement.  First  a  man 
came  in  with  much  eagerness  and  earnest- 
ness, saying  that  he  had  started  off  in  his 
canoe  to  hunt  mountain-sheep  ;  when  he 
had  gone  some  distance,  the  Httle  boat 
turned  over  and  he  lost  his  gun.  He 
wanted  us  to  pray  that  he  might  recover 
it  again.  Mr.  Willard  explained  to  him 
the  nature  of  prayer  and  miracle,  and 
that  he  rnust  not  expect  God  to  cause  the 
water  to  throw  up  the  weapon,  but  that  he 
would  ask  him  to  give  him  strength  and 
wisdom  to  find  it.  The  man  said  he  did 
not  expect  a  miracle,  but  he  wanted  God's 
help,  that  when  the  tide  was  out  and  the 
water  low  he  mieht  see  it  and  get  it  up. 
Soon  after,  a  young  man  came  to  ask 
the  minister  to  pray  that  God  would  turn 
the  heart  of  the  woman  he  loved  so  that 
she  would  marry  him,  for  he  loved  her  so 
that  if  she  did  not  marry  him  he  did  not 
know  what  he  would  do  with  himself,  and 
he  thought  God  would  turn  her  heart  right 
that  day.     We  told  him  that  we  would  ask 


io8 


LIFR   IN  ALASKA. 


God  to  do  SO  if  he  saw  that  it  would  be 
best,  but  we  could  not  tell  if  it  would  be;  so. 
I  explained  to  him  that  my  baby  mi^^du  cry 
for  the  pretty  coals  in  the  stove,  but  I,  be- 
ing wiser  than  she,  would  not  giv(;  harm 
to  the  child  I  loved  even  thouj^h  she  did 
cry  for  it,  so  God  might  see  that  what  he 
wished  for  so  much  would  not  make  him 
happy  at  all. 

Afterward  a  poor  man  from  Chilcoot 
came  to  us  in  great  distress:  his  little;  son 
was  dying,  and  he  wanted  us  to  ask  (iod 
to  spare  his  life  and  make  him  well.  He 
wanted  us  also  to  oive  him  somet  food  and 
clothing  to  put  out  for  the  use  of  tlu!  sjMrit 
should  he  die.  They  believe  in  another 
life  and  another  world,  but  that  b(;tween 
this  world  and  that  lies  a  great  distance ; 
much  land,  then  a  great  green  water  of 
which  no  one  can  drink.  When  a  gf)od 
spirit  at  last  reaches  the  shore  of  this 
water,  the  inhabitants  of  the  good  world 
come  with  canoe  and  bear  him  over,  while 
the  very  wicked  are  doomed  never  to  cross. 
When  a  person  dies,  if  the  body  is  bunutd, 
the  spirit  passes  with  comfortable  warmth 


IJl'l',    IN  ALASKA. 


109 


through  the  inU;rv(:nin^  space,  and  that  it 
may  have  every  comfort  on  the  long  journey 
they  put  out  or  Inirn  with  the  body  both 
food  and  clothing.  A  person  who  dies  by 
drowning  is  for  civer  cold  and  unhappy. 

After  exphiining  to  the  poor  father  the 
true  way  and  showing  him  the  error  of  his 
beUefs,  we  knelt  down  with  him  and  the 
Indians  he  haul  l^rought  with  him  and 
prayed.  Some  days  after,  he  came  again  ; 
and  I  never  saw  a  greater  change  in  any 
one's  ap[)earaiu;e  in  so  short  a  time.  He 
bounded  into  the  house  Hke  a  boy,  so  full 
of  life  that  it  se(;med  impossible  to  walk, 
while  his  face  was  full  of  joy.  His  first 
words  were,  "  It's  all  true  about  your  God ; 
my  child  is  betK^r."  Then  he  told  us  of 
how,  when  he  W(;nt  from  here  that  day, 
the  people  were  all  crying  and  mourning 
for  the  child's  death.  The  Indian  doctors 
had  said  that  he  would  not  get  well — could 
not  live ;  and  thcry  all  thought  him  dead 
already,  he  had  ho  long  lain  in  that  stupor ; 
but  he — oh  how  he  prayed  to  our  God  to 
spare  that  child !  At  last  a  woman  came 
in  and  said  the  child  was  not  dead,  and  by 


I  10 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


!t 


and  by,  after  a  long  time,  the  boy  came  to 
himself,  looked  about  and  spoke.  And 
now  he  was  ^v.\X\x\'^  well,  and  just  as  soon 
as  he  was  well  enough  they  were  coming 
to  the  minister's  place  to  live,  so  that  they 
could  go  to  school  and  learn  more.  He 
said  that  they  believed  no  more  in  the  In- 
dian doctor ;  they  had  paid  him  ten  blank- 
ets (thirty  dollars)  for  nothing — a  sore  re- 
flection to  an  Indian,  I  assure  you,  espe- 
cially a  Chilcat ;  for  they  are  shrewd — very 
shrewd — at  a  bargain. 

Let  me  give  you  an  instance  of  their 
shrewdness.  This  afternoon  a  man  came 
in  with  three  ducks  and  laid  them  down 
with  an  innocent  air,  saying  he  bought 
them  for  a  present,  then,  as  is  their  cus- 
tom, sat  down  and  waited  for  his  pay-pres- 
ent. Mr.  Willard  gave  him  the  exact  price 
of  the  fowls,  and  the  man,  upon  learning 
how  much  it  was,  smiled  and  took  his  de- 
parture. When  I  came  to  un feather  the 
birds,  I  found  but  one  fit  to  use.  The  fel- 
low knew  that  a  present  we  could  not  re- 
fuse and  he  would  be  sure  of  his  pay, 
whereas,  if  he   had  brought  them  to  sell, 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


Ill 


we  would  surely  have  discovered  die  qual- 
ity of  die  goods  and  bade  him  begone.  It 
is  a  custom  we  have  seemed  obliged  to  ob- 
serve so  far. 

We  need  your  prayers,  dear  friends, 
more  than  you  can  imagine  or  than  we 
can  tell  you,  for  wisdom,  love,  padence 
and  strength,  for  the  good  work  here,  and 
for  the  Holy  Spirit's  presence  and  blessing. 

Carrie  M.  Willard. 


Chii.cat  Mission  Manse, 

Hainks,  Alaska,  October  28,  1881. 

My  Dear  Friends:  We  have  given  up 
the  steamer  until  next  spring,  but  we  know 
that  He  who  careth  for  the  sparrows  knows 
and  cares  for  all  our  needs.     We  shall  not 

want.  .  .  . 

October  50.— What  do  you  think  I  have 
to  write  to-night  ?  Didn't  I  say  we  had  the 
Lord's  pro'^Mse  and  it  would  not  fail  ?  Just 
when  I  didn't  know  what  to  put  in  my  baby's 
mouth  we  looked  out  and  beheld  the  steamer 
Favorite  entering  our  litde  bay.  This  was 
about  eleven  o'clock  this  morning. 

The  steamer  did  not  bring  our  piano — 


112 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA, 


too  heavy,  the  officers  said — so  it  is  in  Sit- 
ka. But  oh !  oh !  oh !  the  splendid  mail 
they  brought  and  did  give  us  to-day — 
"  three  bags  full ;  one  for  the  master,  one 
for  the  dame,"  etc.  We  have  been  read- 
ing and  reading  till  we  are  so  full  of  every 
feeling  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  get  any 
of  it  into  action.  And  the  yeast  came, 
for  which  I  am  thankful.  I  did  not  brinir 
any  with  me ;  it  was  not  dry  enough,  and 
was  to  be  sent  by  mail  afterward.  We 
have  gotten  along  very  well,  but  now  we 
will  have  some  good  bread,  and  I  think 
there  will  be  some  butter  in  the  freight. 
The  gingham  came,  and  such  a  treasure 
in  books !  Exactly  the  kind  we  had  wished 
for,  but  did  not  hope  to  get.  Oh,  so  many 
thanks  to  everybody!  If  our  friends  at 
home  only  knew  how  welcome  are  their 
letters  and  their  tokens  of  lovinof  thou^^ht- 
fulness  when  received  here  in  our  loneli- 
ness, they  would  feel  rewarded  for  send- 
ing them  to  us.  .  .  . 

The  Indians  make  their  fish-oil  in  their 
canoes  in  the  following  manner:  The  ca- 
noes are  half  buried  in  the  earth  and  filled 


LU'E   IN  ALASKA. 


H3 


I 


with  fish  and  water.  Alongside,  stones  are 
built  up  like  an  altar,  under  which  a  roar- 
ini^  fire  is  kept  until  they  become  red  hot, 
when  they  are  dropped  into  the  canoe. 
The  fish  are  boiled  in  this  way  to  a  jelly, 
then  allowed  to  stand.  Much  of  the  oil 
rises,  and  is  skimmed  off;  the  rest  is  rolled 
in  matting,  placed  on  a  frame  over  the  canoe 
and  pressed  by  the  bare  feet  of  the  women. 

This  oil  is  a  very  highly-esteemed  article 
of  food  among  the  Indians.  They  use  it 
for  dipping  their  dried  salmon  into,  and 
also  preserve  a  certain  red  berry  in  it.  An 
Indian  is  happy  with  a  large  horn  spoon 
and  a  washbowl  of  berries  in  oil  before 
him.  How  they  slip  down  without  chok- 
ing him  is  wonderful.  His  spoon  holds  a 
dipperful,  and  with  a  peculiar  grace  he 
raises  it  to  his  lips,  and  in  an  instant  the 
contents  have  disappeared,  scarcely  dis- 
turbing a  muscle. 

Monday,  Novetnber  1. — We  had  about  sev- 
enty Indians  at  service  yesterday.  Thurs- 
day Mr.  Willard  had  taken  one  of  the  med- 
icine-men and  a  chief  to  his  study,  where 
we  keep  the  sewing-machine,  and  explained 

8 


I 


114 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


its  workino^s  to  them.  We  have  been  com- 
ing into  closer  and  closer  contact  with  thcMii, 
and  gradually  but  surely  approaching  con- 
llict.  We  knew  it  would  come  sooner  or 
lat(!r — just  as  soon  as  they  felt  our  power 
gaining  the  ascendency  over  theirs  with 
the  people.  Just  what  sort  of  a  conflict 
it  might  be  we  could  not  forecast.  The 
Lord  is  ordering  it  all,  and  there  is  no 
ground  for  fear.  We  rejoice  and  praise 
God  it  has  come  so  soon,  for  it  certainly 
shows  that  the  Spirit  is  working. 

I  have  spoken  before  of  the  sick  being 
brought  to  us.  There  has  been  a  great 
deal  of  sickness  among  the  people  this 
fall.  Some  have  died,  but,  thanks  be  to 
God  !  not  one  of  the  many  we  have  seen 
and  tended. 

During  the  past  week  our  hands  and 
hearts  have  been  more  than  full,  the  peo- 
ple coming  in  from  all  the  villages  with 
their  sick  and  dying  in  canoes,  saying  that 
they  had  heard  of  the  true  God  and  no 
longer  believed  in  the  Indian  doctors, 
others  saying  they  had  given  the  med- 
icine-men everything  they  had    and  were 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


115 


SO  poor  that  no  blanket  remained  to  cover 
the  dyinj^  child. 

Friday  one  poor  woman,  among  others, 
brought  to  us  her  baby  of  three  years.  It 
had  been  sick  for  a  year  and  was  a  living 
skeleton.  I  never  felt  so  sick  at  heart  over 
any  human  being  as  over  that  litde  burn- 
ing-eyed creature  who,  in  only  a  little  cal- 
ico shirt  on  a  chilling,  wet  day,  moaning 
at  every  ''>reath  and  literally  dying,  was  car- 
ried t'^  dt;  The  mother  told  us  the  sad  story 
— how  they  had  given  ever/thing,  dishes, 
blankets  and  all ;  how  the  medicine-men 
had  sung  and  rattled  and  charmed,  eating 
fire,  etc.,  but  all  to  no  purpose.  With  tears 
she  said,  "  Oh,  help  me,  help  me  !  My  chil- 
dren are  all  I  have."  I  worked  with  the 
little  one  all  afternoon,  and  it  seemed  bet- 
ter, and  is  still  so. 

There  were  many  others,  but  I  must  tell 
you  of  only  one.  Yesterday  morning.  Sab- 
bath, among  the  group  of  patients  waiting 
in  the  kitchen  was  a  woman  who  begged 
me  to  come  and  see  her  little  boy,  who  was 
dying.  After  disposing  of  the  rest  and  get- 
ting the  house  righted,  I  left  Baby  with  papa 


ii6 


LIFE   IN^  ALASKA. 


(who  afterward  took  her  to  church  with 
him,  where  I  joined  them)  and  followed  the 
woman,  taking  with  me  what  I  had  in  the 
house  that  might  be  necessary.  But  I  had 
nothing  for  proper  food  for  the  child.  We 
had  tried  to  buy  oatmeal  at  the  store  when 
ours  failed,  but  they  would  not  sell  it.  I 
found  the  child  in  what  seemed  to  me  to  be 
a  dying  condition — unable  to  move,  with 
cold  limbs  and  hot  head,  the  only  action 
apparent  in  the  little  body  b(*ing  the  spas 
modic  jumping  of  the  throat  and  upper  part 
of  the  chest  and  the  rolling  of  the  eyes.  I 
had  them  give  me  blankets  and  put  on 
water  to  heat ;  then  got  brandy  and  went 
to  work.  I  found  that  the  child  had  taken 
no  food  for  ten  days,  and  immediately  I  de- 
spatched a  messenger  to  the  store  saying 
that  they  must  sell  or  give  me  some  oat- 
meal and  condensed  milk.  I  would  take 
no  refusal ;  they  must  do  it.  I  soon  had 
the  pleasure  of  feeding  the  famished  child 
(who  had  already  given  a  sensibh*  look) 
some  milk,  and  in  a  little  while  some  gruel. 
Seeing  him  in  a  better  condition,  I  left  him 
and  went  to  church  with  my  sunbonnet  and 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


117 


\:i\(^  apron  on  and  led  the  singing.  After  put- 
ting Baby  to  sleep,  and  with  dinner  over,  I 
lay  down  for  half  an  hour  and  went  back,  find- 
ing him  no  better,  if  not  worse,  than  he  was 
in  the  morning.  The  doctors  had  been  in 
talking  to  them,  saying  all  manner  of  things 
— tint  all  their  dreams  said  the  child  would 
die,  elc. ;  that  if  he  got  well  they  would  cut 
off  their  hair  and  do  nothing  more ;  that 
they  would  believe  in  God  if  he  showed 
himself  so  strong  as  to  heal  that  boy. 
You  may  be  sure  w^ith  this  double  motive 
I  worked  and  prayed,  and  at  bedtime,  when 
I  left  him  again,  he  was  much  better.  After 
taking  the  medicine  I  had  left  him  he  rested, 
slept  through  much  of  the  night,  and  this 
morning  is  perhaps  a  little  better,  but  still 
very  sick  indeed.  I  do  not  know  how  it  is 
going.  I  can  only  do  my  best  and  trust 
that  the  Lord  who  reigns  will  order  all 
things  for  his  own  glory.  I  will  believe 
that,  however  it  is,  it  will  somehow  be  for 
his  praise,  and  in  that  I  shall  be  more!  than 
satisfied. 

Yesterday  the  doctor's  wife  followed  me 
into  the  hou^:e  of  the  sick  child,  and  sat 


ii8 


LIFE    /::  ALASKA. 


near  the  door  constantly  making  sneering 
remarks;  and  this  mornino-  her  husband 
came  out  as  I  passed  his  house  and  com- 
menced talking  at  a  tremendous  rate,  ges- 
ticulating and  speaking  '^ngrily  till  he  got 
so  close  to  me  as  to  shake  his  fist  within  two 
inches  of  my  face.  I  am  not  afraid  of  him, 
nor  of  all  of  them  ;  as  long  as  there  are 
sick  whom  I  can  benefit  I  shall  do  my  duty 
without  a  thought  of  the  poor  old  doctors, 
except  to  hope  and  pray  that  they  may  be 
convinced  and  converted.  May  that  day 
come  soon  !  One  of  the  doctors  is  here 
now  to  get  me  to  do  something  for  him. 
I  have  been  having  a  talk  with  him. 

Our  freight  has  been  gotten  into  the 
house  in  good  order  from  the  boat  this 
morning. 

But  now,  with  very,  very  much  love  to 
all,  I  must  close.  The  boat  leaves  us 
soon.  Carrie  M.  Willard. 


CniLCAT  Mission  Mansk, 

IIainrs,  Alaska,  November  30,  1881. 


My  Dear  Friends  :  You  can  scarcely  re- 
alize how  those  few  words  of  yours  in  re- 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


119 


o^ard  to  the  increase  of  zeal  for  missions 
among  the  people  at  home  strengthened 
and  helped  us.  We  have  very  much  to 
encourage  us,  and  cause  for  rejoicing  with 
thanksgiving ;  yet  there  are  times  when  it 
is  very  hard  to  keep  only  these  things  be- 
fore us.  Again  and  again  we  are  obliged 
to  force  upon  ourselves  the  realization  of 
the  fact  that  it  is  not  for  man — ungrate- 
ful, treacherous  man — that  we  labor,  but  for 
Him  who  did  and  suffered  all  things  for  us 
all ;  and  to  know  that  Christians  at  home 
are  working  and  praying  for  the  coming 
of  his  kinLrdom  into  all  these  dark  hearts 
makes  it  easier  to  go  on.  Such  sympa- 
thy is  very  sweet. 

There  has  been  a  great  deal  of  sickness 
among  our  people  this  fall — a  terrible  erup- 
tive disease  much  like  small-pox,  though 
not  fatal.  A  number  of  deaths  occurred, 
however,  before  the  people  began  to  come 
to  us  to  build ;  and  since  they  came,  bring- 
inir  their  sick  with  them  in  canoes  four 
deaths  have  taken  place,  but  we  have  the 
infinite  joy  of  believing  that  all  are  saved 
and  happy  souls  to-day.     They  were  two 


I20 


LIFR  IN  ALASKA. 


little  babes,  a  young  woman  and  a  dear  lit- 
tle boy — the  one  I  wrote  you  of  in  my  last 
letter  as  beincr  ill.  I  was  amon^r  the  sick 
almost  day  and  night  for  a  while,  particu- 
larly with  this  little  boy,  who  died,  and  with 
a  woman,  who  has  recovered ;  and  after  it 
became  impossible  for  me  to  go  to  the  vil- 
lage, the  children,  such  as  could  be  carried, 
were  broucfht  to  the  house.  For  one  of 
the  dear  little  babies  who  had  died  first  I 
had  done  a  great  deal,  and  I  hoped  it  would 
get  well ;  but  oh,  it  is  such  unequal  warfare, 
this  battlincr  with  death  in  such  "  stroncr 
houses  "  as  these  people  have,  wind,  snow 
or  smoke  constantly  present. 

I  cannot  tell  you  what  I  felt  when  these 
children  died ;  that  their  lives  should  be 
spared  seemed  almost  essential  to  the 
success  of  our  work  here.  You  know  how 
the  case  stood,  after  Mr.  Willard's  preach- 
ing against  their  witchcraft  and  evil  super- 
stitions on  Sunday,  and  then  bringing  party 
after  party — medicine- men,  chiefs  and  peo- 
ple— into  our  house  and  showing  them  the 
machinery  of  sewing-machine  and  clock, 
tellinQ:  them  of  the  more  intricate  machin- 


IJFR   IN  A  I.  A  SKA. 


121 


ery  of  the  human  body,  askinor  them  if 
they  thought  witches  were  in  those  w^heels 
because  they  accomphshed  such  wonderful 
things  or  if  they  failed  to  accomplish  them, 
showing  them  the  absurdity  of  their  believ- 
ing that  because  the  wonderful  body  got 
out  of  order  in  iheir  iornorant  hands  some 
one  had  bewitched  it.  If  some  dirt  got 
into  the  fine  wheels  of  a  watch,  did  they 
think  that  all  the  medicine-men  in  Chilcat 
could  charm  it  into  running-order  without 
removing  that  obstruction  ?  How  much 
less  power  could  they  have  over  the  hu- 
man body  !  After  this,  I  say,  many  of  them 
believed  no  more  in  the  Indian  doctors' 
ways,  and,  not  knowing  what  else  to  do, 
brou<jht  their  sick  to  us.  Of  course  the  doc- 
tors  were  enraged  at  the  loss  oi  their  gains, 
and  predicted  that  our  patients  would  die. 
We  worked  with  an  almost  agonizing  zeal, 
and  felt  as  though  they  must  not  die.  Af- 
ter many  days  and  sad  nights  of  anxious 
working,  watching  and  praying,  when  it 
seemed  as  though  a  feather's  weight  might 
turn  the  balance,  it  was  turned:  the  child 
began  to  recover  rapidly  for  some  time,  re- 


122 


I.IFR   IN  ALASKA. 


gaining  appetite  and  strength.  ThcMi  1  was 
not  able  to  go  any  more,  and  \\\v.y  tore  out 
an  end  of  the  unfinished  iiouse  wh(;re  the 
sick  boy  lay,  to  enlarge  it,  and  the  next 
thing  I  heard  was  that  he  was  wors(;,  then 
dead.  I  felt  stunned ;  I  could  not  believe 
it.  I  had  felt  so  sure  that  he  would  get 
well.  I  could  not  say  a  word ;  it  .seemed 
as  though  everything  that  had  been  accom- 
plished would  now  be  lost ;  and  yet  1  could 
not  a  moment  doubt  God's  sovereignty  or 
his  wisdom  or  his  love.  I  must  just  be  still, 
knowing  that  he  was  God  ;  and  in  that  dark 
hour,  when  it  seemed  that  all  was  lost,  i 
learned,  I  think,  the  lesson  he  meant  to 
teach — that  to  him  nothing  human  is  neces- 
sary. 

We  had  heard  before  that  in  case  the 
boy  died  his  parents  would  hide  it  from 
us,  for  they  meant  to  burn  thci  body.  We 
e  pected  that  the  medicine-men  would,  to 
^e  best  of  their  ability,  inflame  the  people 
against  us,  but,  instead  of  all  this,  the  pa- 
rents came  to  us  in  the  burden  of  their 
grief,  telling  us  of  the  happy  d(!parture  of 
the  little  spirit  and  that  they  were  not  near- 


I.ni-    IN  ALASKA. 


123 


ly  so  "  sick  in  tlnrir  hearts,"  because  they 
were  sure  that  he  had  gone  to  be  with 
Jesus.  Not  on<j  word  of  reproach,  even, 
where  we  had  <;xpect(!d  savage  charges 
and  demands  U)X  "satisfaction"!  They 
told  us  of  his  Uilk,  his  prayers  and  his  low, 
weak  singing  of  the  hymns  he  loved,  dying 
with  the  swectt  hnes  on  his  lips. 

When  they  were  bringing  him  from  the 
lower  villagt*  in  a  canoe,  he  said  to  them, 

"  Tell  me  junt  an  soon  as  you  see  the 
place." 

When  they  tiirn(rd  into  the  bay,  they  told 
him. 

"  Raise  me  up,"  he  said. 

They  raised  him  up,  and  he  looked  long 
and  earnestly  toward  the  shore,  his  eyes 
fixed  on  the  mission  buildings. 

"  Yes,"  said  he,  *•  there  it  is — the  minis- 
ter's house ;  now  we  are  going  to  pray 
there." 

Day  after  tlay  h(;  plead  to  be  carried  to 
the  schoolhoiiscr,  but  he  was  not  fit  to  be 
moved.  More  esjiecially  on  Sabbath,  when 
the  bell  rang  for  chtirch,  he  would  beg  them 
to  take  him  to  jvrar  about  God ;  but,  as  he 


124 


I.lhi:    /N  ALASK'A. 


could  not  j^o  himself,  he  would  pray  and 
sing.  Wc  oftc-n  had  little  meetings  in  the 
house  for  him. 

One  day,  when  the  bell  rang  for  church, 
his  mother,  overcome  by  her  feelings  for 
the  child,  began  to  cry.  He  asked  her 
the  cause. 

"  Oh,  that  you  can't  go  with  the  other 
children." 

Tenderly  he  told  her  that  she  must  not 
cry  any  more  for  him  this  way ;  it  was  not 
right. 

Because  he  was  a  Christian,  they  wanted 
to  have  him  buric^d  like  a  Christian  ;  so  on 
Sabbath  the  little  body  was  borne  to  the 
schoolhouse  which  he  had  so  longed  to 
enter.  Mr.  Willard  preached  on  the  res- 
urrection of  the  body  and  the  joy  of  those 
who  die  in  the  Lord.  The  people  seemed 
profoundly  impressed,  and  all  things  were 
done  decently  and  in  order. 

It  is  their  custom,  after  the  death  of 
friends,  utterly  to  neglect  their  own  per- 
sons, to  eat  nothing  for  days,  to  paint  their 
faces  black,  to  cut  their  hair  close,  and  to 
wear  the  dirtiest  clothing  they  possess  ;  but 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


125 


this  mother  came  to  the  funeral  with  clean 
face  and  dress,  and  only  wept  like  a  Chris- 
tian. 

Many  of  the  people  say  that  they  do  not 
wish  to  burn  any  more  of  their  dead;  they 
believe  in  the  Christian  way.  We  did  not 
insist  on  this,  and,  indeed,  had  said  very  lit- 
tle about  it;  but  we  prefer  to  have  them 
btiry  the  bodies  of  their  dead,  because  they 
cannot  do  so  without  disregarding^  their  old 
superstitions,  for  their  old  belief  is  that  the 
spirit  whose  body  is  not  burned  suffers  an 
eternity  of  cold. 

This  was  not  our  first  funeral ;  the  first 
was  when  the  litde  baby  died.  The  mother 
came  to  me  broken-hearted.  She  had  four 
children,  and  this  was  the  first  death.  Her 
heart  seemed  to  have  been  won  through  what 
we  had  tried  to  do  for  the  little  one,  and  she 
wanted  to  know  what  she  ought  to  do. 
The  old  people  talked  terribly  about 
burying,  and  the  grandmother  gave  her 
no  peace  at  all,  saying  the  child  should 
be  burned  ;  but  the  mother  wanted  to  do 
as  we  said.  I  sat  down  and  talked  with 
her,  explaining  to  her  what  the  Bible  tells 


126 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


US  of  life  and  death.  She  then  said  that 
she  wanted  to  have  it  buried,  but  her  friends 
did  not,  and  she  could  not  tell  them  all ; 
she  wished  the  minister  would  talk  to  them. 
So  they  were  called  together,  and  Mr.  Wil- 
lard  gave  them  a  long  plain  talk ;  and  they 
said  at  last  that  for  their  "  mother  Nauk-y- 
stih's  sake "  they  would  bury  the  child  if 
we  would  show  them  how.  Mr.  Willard 
made  a  little  coffin,  and  we  covered  it  with 
white.  I  made  a  little  shroud  for  the  child, 
and  had  them  bring  it  to  me  to  dress  and 
put  in  the  box.  It  was  already  prepared 
as  they  prepare  the  corpse — the  little  face 
all  covered  with  vermilion,  mittens  on  the 
hands,  the  knees  drawn  up  and  tied  against 
the  body.  In  the  sight  of  the  people  I 
washed  the  paint  from  its  face,  smoothed 
the  hair  and  put  on  the  little  dress.  It  was 
snowing  when  they  laid  the  little  one  away, 
and  it  seemed  as  though  the  parents'  hearts 
would  break.  It  was  the  first  breaking  of 
their  old-time  customs  made  dear  through 
generations. 

The  old  grandmother  had  not  given  up, 
and  she  made  them  suffer  almost  every- 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


127 


thing  at  home  with  her  revilings.  Several 
times  it  seemed  as  though  they  must  yet 
take  up  the  body  and  burn  it,  but  God  sent 
them  at  such  times  to  us,  and  gave  us,  for 
them,  the  comfort  and  strengthening  which 
they  needed;  and  to-day  we  feel  more  hope- 
ful of  their  salvation  than  of  that  of  any 
other  family  of  our  people. 

Mr.  Willard  hopes  to  form  a  class  for 
the  special  instruction  of  those  who  think 
they  really  desire  to  be  Christians.  We 
ask  the  special  and  earnest  prayers  of  our 
dear  friends  at  home  for  God's  blessing  in 
this.  We  think  there  are  a  few  who  are 
trying  to  do  the  right  as  far  as  they  know 
it,  but  they  are  utter  babes  in  knowl- 
edge. .  .  .  Carrie  M.  Willard. 


Chilcat  Mission  Mansk, 

Haines,  Alaska,  December  13,  1881. 

My  Dear  Friends  :  I  did  not  tell  you  in 
my  last  letter  what  had  been  done  by  the 
man-of-war.  This  time  the  Wachusette  was 
commanded  by  Captain  Henry  Glass.  He 
called  for  the  head-men  to  come  to  him  ; 
only  two  of  the  higher  chiefs  he  invited  into 


128 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


the  cabin.  He  gave  them  nothinj^  but  a 
sound  and  forcible  exposition  of  the  law: 
I.  That  he  would  punish  any  one  who 
made,  sold  or  introduced  any  intoxicating,^ 
drink,  or  anythino;^  to  make  it  of.  2.  That 
if  they  had  any  fighting",  if  any  one  was 
kill(.-d,  he  would  be  here  immediately  ;  the 
r.uirderer  would  be  seized,  taken  below  in 
irons  and  tried ;  if  proved  guilty,  he  would 
be  hanged  as  any  white  man  would  be. 
3.  If  they  harmed  die  whites  who  came 
among  them,  he  would  storm  their  village; 
and  blockade  their  river.  He  then  showed 
them  what  the  big  guns  were  made  of  by 
firing  quite  a  nvmiber  of  balls  and  bomb- 
shells, which  shook  our  house,  although 
sent  in  an  opposite  direction ;  and  the  big 
braves  didn't  laugh  any  more. 

Another  little  child  has  been  called  away 
from  our  village — one  who  had  been  sick 
for  a  year  or  more — and  this  morning  its 
body  was  burned  ;  this  was  the  second  cre- 
mation since  our  coming. 

While  we  Avere  at  breakfast,  Esther,  the 
mother  of  the  little  boy  of  whom  I  wrote 
you  as  having  been  buried  from  the  church, 


IJI'E   IN  ALASKA. 


129 


came  in  lookin(T  very  sad  and  sayinj^  that 
her  heart  was  sick  ;  that  ever  since  her  ht- 
tle  boy  had  been  put  in  the  ground  the  In- 
dians had  troubled  her  so  that  slie  could 
neither  eat  nor  sleep,  taunting  her  in  every 
way,  saying, 

"Ah!  you  are  the  minister's  friends. 
Oh  yes !  you  are  white  people.  Why  do 
you  live  here  ?  Why  do  you  eat  Indian 
food  ?     Yes,  a  minister  you  are." 

Then  they  had  tried  in  every  way  to  in- 
duce her  to  have  the  body  disinterred  and 
burned.  This  morning,  before  they  started 
to  the  burning,  the  people  crowded  into  her 
house  and  besieged  her  with  new  force.  At 
last  Esther's  mother  (and  this  is  so  remark- 
able, because,  as  a  rule,  the  old  people  are 
obstinate  and  tied  to  their  old  superstitions, 
and  therefore  very  hard  to  bring  to  accept 
new  ways)  said  to  them, 

"  No,  we  will  not  do  it.  As  for  me,  I 
have  only  just  begun  to  learn  about  God, 
but  I  want  to  believe  in  him  with  all  my 
heart.  I  want  to  go  to  him  and  to  my 
grandchild  when  I  die.     And  I  want  to  tell 

you  all  now  that  when  I  die  I  don't  w^ant 

9 


130 


IJFE   IN  ALASKA. 


you  to  burn  my  body ;  I  want  to  be 
buried." 

Then  Esther  made  a  similar  declaration, 
and  Chief  Don-a-wok — Esther's  uncle — 
told  them  that  he  wanted  them  all  to  re- 
member, too,  that  his  body  was  not  to  be 
burned  when  he  died ;  he  wanted  the  min- 
ister to  attend  to  it  all  and  bury  him. 

After  this  the  people  left  the  house,  but 
Esther's  heart  was  so  sick  that  she  felt  as 
if  she  would  die.  Her  mother  told  her  to 
put  on  her  blanket  and  go  up  to  the  min- 
ister's ;  so  she  came,  though  she  hadn't 
wanted  to  come  for  a  long  time  becctuse 
the  people  talked  so.  She  fears  that  she 
is  not  going  to  live  long,  and  she  wanted 
to  ask  us  to  be  sure  to  bury  her  and  take 
care  of  her  little  boy,  the  only  child  left  her. 
She  could  not  bear  to  think  of  having  him 
grow  up  among  the  Indian.->  if  she  had  to 
leave  him.  I  had  a  lontj  comfortinor  talk 
with  her  and  kept  her  here  all  day,  engag- 
ing her  on  a  little  sewing  which  I  gave  her 
for  herself,  and  to-night  she  went  home  a 
quite  cheerful  woman.  It  seemed  to  en- 
courage her  when  I  told  her  what  martyrs 


LIFE    IN  ALASKA. 


131 


had  suffered  for  Christ's  sake,  and  what  he 
promises  to  all  who  endure  persecution 
from  love  to  him. 

Mr.  Willard  witnessed  the  doctors'  dance 
one  ni^ht  some  time  aoo.  It  is  a  sort  of 
exorcism.  Almost  all  sickness  with  the 
Indians  is  reorarded  as  the  result  of  witch- 
craft.  The  medicine-man  is  called,  and 
for  ten  blankets  (their  medium  of  ijx- 
chancre,  and  worth  from  three  to  four  dol- 
lars  apiece)  he  will  scatter  the  evil  spirits. 
If  they  are  obstinate  and  the  person  dies, 
he  accuses  some  one  of  having  bewitched 
die  dead  man,  and  for  certain  other  blank- 
ets will  tell  by  divination  who  the  witch  is. 
The  latter  is  then  taken,  and,  with  his  feet 
tied  together  and  his  hands  tied  behind  his 
back,  is  shut  up  with  the  corpse  and  either 
burned  with  it  or  left  to  starve  to  deatii,  un- 
less there  are  relatives  rich  enough  to  pay 
for  the  exorcism  of  the  evil  spirit.  Since 
we  have  been  here  this  has  never  gone  so 
far  as  a  pointing  out  of  the  witch,  and  it 
is  not  likely  to  go  farther  now,  so  long  as 
the  man  of-war  supports  us,  as  at  pres- 
ent. 


132 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


You  have  read  a  description  in  Dr.  Jack- 
son's Alask-i  of  the  medicine- men  and  how 
they  are  educated.  They  all  (so  far  as  I 
have  observed,  and  there  are  about  ten  in 
the  Chilcat  tribe)  have  a  most  peculiar,  cun- 
ning, and  yet  weird,  expression.  Th(iy  are 
hollow-eyed,  but  the  pupil  protrudes  and 
rolls,  and  there  is  a  keenness,  a  furtiveness, 
about  them  that  is  most  unpleasant.  Since 
the  death  of  the  litde  boy  referred  to  in  a 
former  letter,  these  servants  of  Satan  have 
been  doing  their  master's  work  with  a  will, 
but  the  event  which  they  thus  take  advan- 
taore  of  has  not  been  without  ijood  results. 
Had  God  restored  to  health  and  life  every 
one  whom  we  tried  to  help,  it  would  have 
been  almost  impossible  for  this  ignorant 
people  to  give  all  the  glory  to  God  ;  we 
could  hardly  have  convinced  them  that  we 
had  no  miraculous  gift.  More  and  more 
they  would  have  pressed  upon  us  and  have 
professed  faith  for  the  sake  of  this  material 
life.  We  foresaw  something  of  this  dan- 
ger then,  this  materializing  of  the  spiritual, 
but  not  as  clearly  as  the  Lord  has  now 
brought  us  to  see  it.     There  are  not  nearly 


LIFE   IN  ALASK^i, 


133 


SO  many  who  call  upon  God,  but  those  who 
do  seem  to  come  up  to  a  higher  plane  than 
before ;  they  see  something  beyond  this 
lif^ ;  so  in  all  our  trials  we  know  that  God 
rci'Tns  and  it  must  be  best. 

1  kine  of  these  medicine-men,  how- 

ever,  I  must  not  omit  one  sign  of  hope  for 
which  we  have  to  be  thankful.  A  litde 
daughter  (four  or  five  years  of  age)  of 
him  whom  we  consider  the  worst  man 
among  them  was  born  with  curly  hair;  so 
of  course  she  was  desdned  to  the  profes- 
sion, and  her  hair  left  uncut,  uncombed,  to 
become  a  matted,  repulsive  mass  like  her 
father's,  wh^':  ~:he  Vv^as  adorned  with  neck- 
lace of  te;  y  r-:x\  charms  of  green  stone. 
I  so  well  rem  .Tiller  the  first  time  I  saw 
her.  It  was  on  a  Sabbath,  while  Dr.  Shel- 
don Jackson  was  here.  She  walked  along 
from  church  just  before  us ;  her  beautiful 
iitne  child-face  in  the  mass  of  unkempt  hair 
struck  m*  vith  a  sudden  pity  for  the  price- 
less soul);  ^1  hMden  in  that  neglected  lit- 
de body,  and  I  exclaimed, 

"  Oh  how  fearful  that  she  should  be 
destined  to  such  a  life !" 


134 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


Dr.  Jackson  quietly  made  answer, 

"  Let  us  hope  she  may  be  converted 
before  that." 

The  words  came  \vi  'ebuke  to  my 
weak  faith. 

Some  weeks  ago  that  child  came  to 
church  neat  and  clean,  and — will  you  be- 
lieve it? — that  sacred  matted  mass  of  hair 
lay  on  her  head  in  smooth  braids ;  so  now 
she  can  never  be  a  medicine-woman,  but 
we  pray  that  she  may  be  a  Christian 
woman. 

One  of  the  Indian  doctors  told  us  the 
other  day  that  if  we  would  give  him  some 
new  clothes  he  would  cut  off  his  hair. 

December  I4. — The  Chilcats  are  a  supe- 
rior race  to  the  plain- Indians,  and  are  the 
strongest  people,  and  this  district  the  larg- 
est under  the  care  of  any  missionary,  in 
Alaska.  It  is  not  one  village,  as  in  the 
case  of  the  other  stations,  but  four  with- 
in a  radius  of  thirty  miles.  .  .  .  We  feel 
the  urgent  need  of  industries  in  which  the 
people  can  engage.  They  are  willing  and 
anxious  to  work,  but  we  have  so  little  for 
them  to  do,  and  so  little  means  with  which 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


135 


to  pay  them.  We  hope  fish-canneries  may 
be  estabHshed  on  our  rivers;  these  would 
furnish  employment  for  a  great  many  of 
them,  and  thus  provide  them  w^ith  means 
of  sustenance. 

We  expect  and  dread  the  coming  of  mi- 
ners in  the  spring.  Some  prospectors  took 
several  hundreds  of  dollars'  worth  of  gold 
down  last  fall,  and  we  hear  that  many  oth- 
ers are  coming  up.  The  mines  at  Juneau 
(the  recently  established  post-office  at  Ta- 
koo)  are  something  like  seventy-five  miles 
below  us.  About  thirty  thousand  dollars' 
worth  of  gold-dust  was  taken  from  there 
last  season.  .  .  . 

There  is  good  tillable  land  here,  and  we 
have  perhaps  an  acre  grubbed  out  where 
we  hope  to  make  a  garden  in  the  spring. 
We  mean  to  try  raising  everything  desir- 
able, if  seeds  and  slips  come  in  time.  .  .  . 

December  28. — On  last  Friday  evening  a 
little  rowboat  arrived  from  Juneau  with  two 
naturalist ,  from  Berlin — Dr.  Aurel  and  Dr. 
Arthur  Krause — who  intend  to  study  here 
until  spring,  boarding  at  the  trader's.  The 
gentlemen  brought  a  package  of  mail,  which 


136 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


they  offered  with  evident  pleasure  for  our 
Christmas  gift.  It  proved  \.<)  hi',  the  Sitka 
mail  for  San  Francisco,  whitlu:r  ours  may 
have  been  sent  by  mistake ;  so  we  had  no 
letters,  but  we  had  a  very  pleasant  Christ- 
mas, with  many  thoughts  of  the  loved 
ones  at  home.  I  had  work  (enough,  you 
may  be  sure,  in  providing,  from  my  brain, 
my  wardrobe  and  my  scrap-bag,  pres(;nts 
for  sixty-nine  schoolboys  and  girls  and  wo- 
men. We  graded  them  all  by  the  number 
of  days  they  had  been  in  attcMidance,  and 
had  something  for  each  one.  I  would  like 
to  tell  all  about  the  tree,  but  cannot  now. 

The  gentlemen  brought  somr;  cotton- 
jeans  for  pants  for  the  boys;  the  litde 
fellows  come  to  school  through  thf-  snow 
with  nothing  on  bit  cotton  shirts,  the  snow 
sometimes  stained  by  their  bleeding  feet. 
The  snow  is  waist-deep  on  the  men,  who 
have  to  travel  on  snow-shoes.  .Sabbath 
before  last  I  went  to  meeting  by  a  path 
walled  with  the  crystal  snow  as  high  as  my 
head.  It  has  snowed  much  since,  and  lies 
piled  up  against  our  windows.  .  .  . 

CaKKIK    M.   WllJ.AkD. 


1,11'li    IN  ALASKA. 


137 


To  the  Sahhalk^  School  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  liast  Springfield,  New  York. 

i.'M\\t  s'\  MCisioN  Manse, 

Wss^r-,,  Ar,ASKA,  Januaiy  23  and  30,  1882. 

Dear  Fkiksm^h:  The  close  of  our  third 
quarter  in  Alaska  finds  us  with  not  a  few 
tokens  of  Ciod's  pleasure  in  our  work. 
We  are  mont  and  more  enjoying  it,  and 
more  and  wvm',  its  peculiarities  and  needs 
open  up  to  us. 

You  have  anked  us  to  tell  you  of  these 
needs,  an<l  in  this  letter  I  will  gladly  do 
so,  hoping  that  somewhere  the  Master 
may  sdll  have  Htevvards  holding  talents  which 
they  long  to  put  out  to  usury.  There  seems 
to  us  no  place  in  the  great  world  where  a 
higher  rat(!  of  interest  could  be  derived  for 
the  Lord, 

Do  you  remc^mber  on  what  a  long,  long 
day  our  first  lettc^r  was  written  you  in  June? 
Now  we  have  had  the  other  extreme — a 
night  long  enough  for  the  veriest  litde 
sleepyhead,  the  sun  rising  near  eleven 
o'clock  A.M„and  our  lamps  being  lighted 
at  three  v.  M. 

During  mont  of  the  winter  thus  far  the 


138 


LIFF   IN  ALASKA. 


snow  has  been  about  four  feet  deep ;  it  is 
near  six  feet  now,  yet  the  people  go  about 
easily  on  snow-shoes,  which  are  made  of 
very  light  and  gracefully-shaped  wooden 
frames  woven  across  v^ith  thongs,  exactly 
as  cane  is  woven  into  chairs  at  home,  and 
which  are  kept  in  place  on  the  foot  by  means 
of  the  straj)  which  passes  from  across  the 
toes  back  and  around  the  ankles. 

On  Friday  evening  of  last  v^^eek  we  were 
delighted  by  the  arrival  of  a  canoe  from 
Juneau,  which  brought  us  a  few  precious 
letters  written  in  October  and  November. 
The  canoe  that  brought  the  letters  was 
that  of  the  parents  of  the  little  girl  whom 
Chief  I)on-a-wok  had  been  almost  com- 
pelled to  take  for  wife.  It  came  bringing 
him  presents,  but  some  time  ago  the  child 
had  left  his  I.ouse  and  had  gone  to  her 
aunt's,  wh(;re  she  remained.  We  had 
a  long  talk  with  Don-a-wok  before  she 
left,  showing  him  how  wrong  and  how 
fruitful  of  evil  such  marriages  are.  He 
seemed  to  realize  it,  and  said  that  it  had 
not  been  his  wish  at  all,  that  the  child  was 
very  unhappy,  crying  continually,  but  that, 


IJI'E   IN  ALASKA. 


139 


according;  to  their  customs,  he  could  not 
send  her  away ;  if  her  parents  would  take 
her  back  when  they  found  how  unhappy 
she  was,  he  would  be  glad.  However, 
she  took  the  matter  into  her  own  hands 
and  ran  away. 

When  her  parents  learned  this  on  arriv- 
ing here,  they  were  greatly  mortified  and 
incensed  against  Don-a-wok.  They  came 
to  us  before  emptying  their  vials  of  wrath 
on  their  son-in-law,  and  God  gave  us  such 
success  with  them  that  they  seemed  to 
see  it  all  in  a  new  and  true  light,  and  gave 
up  having  a  quarrel.  I  think  they  will  take 
her  back  to  Sitka  and  send  her  to  school. 
We  tried  to  prevail  upon  them  to  send  her 
to  the  Home  at  Wrangell,  but  fear  they 
will  not. 

Mr.  Willard  returned  a  few  days  ago 
from  a  tour  among  the  villages.  Two 
weeks  ago  he  started  by  canoe  for  Chil- 
coot,  but,  getting  caught  in  the  floating  ice 
from  the  large  glaciers  on  the  way,  in 
which  he  and  the  man  with  him  worked 
for  their  lives  for  an  hour  or  two,  he  was 
obliged  to  give  up  the  journey ;  and,  turning 


I40 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


into  the  fishing-village  of  Te-nany,  he  came 
home  the  same  evening.  But  on  the  Chil- 
cat  River  he  was  gone  a  little  over  a  week, 
holding  school  in  the  upper  villages.  He 
went  on  snow-shoes  and  skates.  In  the 
mean  time  I  stayed  here  at  home  with  just 
my  baby  Carrie  and  the  little  Indian  girl 
Kittie  for  company,  holding  daily  court, 
and  the  service  on  Sabbath.  It  occurred 
to  me  that  to  home-friends  it  would  seem 
a  little  startling  if  they  knew  that  I  sat 
night  after  night  in  a  sense  alone,  the  large 
windows  of  the  sitting-room — without  blinds 
— frequently  revealing  the  dusky  faces  of 
those  who  wished  to  come  in  ;  but  then,  as 
at  all  times  here,  there  was  a  sweet  and 
peculiar  assurance  of  safety — no  dread,  no 
fear  of  evil.     God  is  our  keeper. 

The  greatest  burden  which  falls  upon 
me  in  my  husband's  absence  is  the  care 
of  the  people — the  responsibility  of  decid- 
ing, alone,  matters  which  might  among 
white  people  be  trivial  enough ;  but  with 
this  people,  where  there  are  so  many  com- 
plications of  the  family  and  tribal  relations, 
together  with  ancient  customs  and  super- 


LIFE   IiW  ALASKA. 


141 


stitions,  a  very  small  matter  often  becomes 
very  <^reat  in  its  consecjuences.  We  need 
more  than  man's  wisdom  ;  and  please  let 
this  be  amoni^  your  petitions  to  God  for 
us — that  he  will  give  such  wisdom  as  we 
need  for  his  glory  in  this  place. 

We  were  besietred,  as  usual,  for  medicine 
and  comforts  for  the  sick.  An  old  woman 
died  and  was  cremated,  whereupon  Cla-not, 
the  young  second  chief  here,  called  the  peo- 
ple together  for  a  general  peacemaking. 
On  the  Sabbath  evening  before  Mr.  Wil- 
lard  went  away  he  had  spoken  to  the  peo- 
ple on  peace  and  brodierly  love.  Four 
years  ago  (though  on  the  occasion  of 
preaching  that  sermon  he  knew  nothing 
of  this  bit  of  history)  an  old  woman  was 
charged  with  having  bewitched  a  young 
man.  Her  son  was  so  ashamed  that  he 
killed  his  mother.  Custom  required  peace- 
payment  to  be  made  for  her  murder  to  her 
brother,  althou^fh  it  was  he  who  accused 
her  of  witchcraft,  but  it  had  never  been 
done;  and  the  tribes  were  enemies  in 
the  same  village,  not  enterinof  each  other's 
houses.     When  this  death  occurred,  while 


142 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


my  husband  was  away,  Cla-not,  as  I  said, 
called  these  tribes  to^-ether  and  rehearsed 
this  old  story,  then  said, 

"You  all  know  what  the  minister  talkc^d 
to  us  about  last  Sunday,  and  I  have  called 
you  here  to  make  that  peace ;  and  we  must 
make  it  to-nii^ht,  for  we  don't  know  what 
to-nii^ht  or  to-morrow  may  brini^" — so 
nearly  the  scriptural  phrase,  though  1 
think  it  had  not  been  used  in  the  sermon 
at  all. 

Well,  they  made  peace,  Cla-not  himself 
payini^  the  necessary  blankets. 

I  had  this  good  news  to  tell  the  mission- 
ary when  he  returned  so  weary  that  dark 
night  from  his  long,  hard  tramp  through 
wind  and  rain  and  knee-deep  slush.  And 
he  had  much  to  tell  me  of  hard  but  joy- 
ful work,  of  the  people's  evident  joy  at  his 
coming  and  of  how  kindly  they  had  treated 
him  ;  of  the  acquisition,  also,  of  several  new 
Kling-get  phrases,  for  he  went  without  an 
interpreter.  Four  of  the  head-men  and 
several  others  came  down  with  him  to 
trade.  Old  Shat-e-ritch,  the  head-chi(,'f, 
stayed  with    us  ;    we    invited    them    all    to 


LIFE    //V  ALASKA. 


143 


Stay   over  Sabbath,  and   they  ^hidly   con- 
sented. 

The  ni^ht  after  they  came  down  Cla-not's 
peace  was  broken  :  he  had  insulted  a  pow- 
erful man  of  his  own  tribe  last  fall,  who  in 
turn  threatened  to  kill  him,  l)ut  afterward 
repented;  and  when  Cla-not  had  inaugu- 
rated peacemaking  this  man,  called  Skoo- 
kun  'strong")  jim,  bought  white  man's 
food  at  the  store  and  called  Cla-not  to  a 
feast  of  peace  at  which  he  would  pay 
blankets  for  his  angry  threat.  Cla-not, 
who  is  naturally  violent  and  headstrong, 
would  not  accept  his  overtures,  whereupon 
Cla-not's  life  was  ai^ain  threatened,  and  war 
seemed  imminent.  To  make  matters  worse 
and  the  trouble  general,  Cla-not  quarreled 
with  his  wives  (who  are  mother  and  daugh- 
ter), and  they  left  his  house.  They  are 
of  the  Sitka  people,  and  if  peace  had  not 
been  restored  before  the  arrival,  on  the 
second  day  after,  of  the  Sitka  chief  and  the 
parents  of  Don-a-wok's  wife  (who  were  of 
the  same  tribe  as  the  unhappy  wives  of 
Cla-not,  while  Don-a-wok  is  his  uncle),  I 
fear  we  should  not  have  been  able  to  stay 


144 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


1*1. ■.  ■  ■/  'i 


the  flood ;  the  complications  were  many 
and  of  such  a  character  as  would  have  in- 
volved the  whole  Chilcat  country  and  the 
Sitka  people. 

This  IS  a  good  example  of  the  sort  of 
work  we  have  here ;  he  who  gives  us  most 
cause  for  rejoicing  to-day  is  our  heaviest 
trial  to-morrow,  and,  !  thank  God !  some- 
times it  is  vice  versa. 

After  much  prayer  we  sent  for  Cla-not. 
He  returned  answer  that  he  was  busy,  but 
late  i'^  the  evening  he  came  with  a  heavy, 
dogged  expression  on  his  blackened  face. 
Shakinor  hands  with  him — atrainst  his  will, 
apparently — we  had  him  sit  down,  and  Mr. 
Willard  beiran  to  tell  him  of  how  he  was 
the  first  Chilcat  he  had  ever  heard  of,  and 
that  It  was  in  answer  to  his  recpiest  for  a 
missionary  (as  published  in  Dr.  Jackson's 
book)  that  we  came  here ,  then  of  how 
glad  he  had  made  us  by  his  prompt  peace- 
making. Now  we  had  heard  he  was  in 
trouble,  and  had  sent  for  him  that  we 
mioht  know  all  die  truth  and  be  able  to 
help  him  farther  into  the  right  way.  He 
was  very  sullen  at  first,  then  full  of  anger 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


145 


at  his  enemy,  but  in  the  course  of  three 
hours'  talk  he  became  very  quiet,  even 
though  we  gave  him  the  gospel  law  in  re- 
oard  to  wives  as  well  as  enemies.  He 
had  eaten  nothing  since  his  trouble  began, 
and  refused  to  do  so  until  the  matter  was 
settled  in  some  way. 

Early  on  the  second  morning  after,  he 
came  in  like  a  very  different  man — came 
of  his  own  acccrd — to  tell  us  that  he  had 
changed  his  mind  and  wished  to  have 
peace  everywhere ;  his  wives  came  back, 
and  he  made  a  great  feast,  with  Skoo-kum 
um  as  chief  guest. 

Then  the  upper-village  people  who  were 
here  had  had  some  differences  with  this 
people,  and  they  called  them  together  to  a 
big  smoke.  They  in  turn  seemed  to  vie  with 
each  other  in  attentions  to  the  strangers. 
Old  Chief  Shat-e-ritch,  who  in  his  day  has 
been  the  wildest  of  the  Chilcats,  said  to 
us  on  Saturday  night  that  everybody  was 
making  peace  and  he  wanted  to  do  so  too. 
He  had  one  thing  to  settle  in  his  own  vil- 
lao-e,  which  he  would  do  when  he  went 
back  home. 

10 


146 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


On  Sabbath  morn  in  l^  you  may  be  sure 
we  had  a  grand  peace-meeting-.  The 
schoolhouse  was  crowded ;  in  a  space  per- 
haps less  than  six  feet  square  I  counted 
twenty-eight  persons.  There  was  no  room 
for  benches,  if  we  had  had  them.  Even 
the  old  medicine-men,  who  had  not  been 
at  a  meeting  for  weeks,  were  there.  After 
a  service  of  two  or  three  hours  we  had  a 
hasty  lunch  and  went  back.  We  had  the 
children  recite  their  catechism  and  about 
twenty  verses  of  Scripture  in  both  English 
and  Klinor-cret,  blendinij  these  exercises  with 
singing  and  prayer  in  both  languages,  and 
another  sermon. 

The  upper-village  people  were  so  im- 
pressed with  the  children's  exercises  that 
Shat-e-ritch  made  arranij^ements  to  have 
his  son  board  at  the  trader's  and  attend 
school.  Mr.  Willard  teaches  them  Eng- 
lish, and  the  whole  congregation  repeat 
the  Lord's  Prayer  in  concert  every  Sab- 
bath in  their  own  language. 

We  were  very  tired  that  evening,  and 
thought  the  people  were  too ;  but  just  be- 
fore dark  two  of  the  head-men  came  in  and 


i(f"-<r-  —    ~- 


CniLCAT   MOTHKR    AND  CHILD  GOING   TO  CHURCH. 
From  a  Drawing  by  Mrs.  IV'illard. 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


149 


begged  us  to  have  another  meeting,  be- 
cause they  were  going  to  the  Stick  coun- 
try and  it  would  be  so  long  before  they 
could  come  again ;  all  the  other  people 
wanted  it  too,  they  said ;  so,  of  course,  we 
had  the  service.  Mr.  Willard  gave  them 
a  basket  of  the  living  bread  to  take  with 
them  to  the  poor  Stick  country,  and  he  was 
glad  of  the  opportunity,  for  in  one  of  the 
villages  he  had  seen  them  making  hoochi- 
noo  to  take  with  them  for  trade.  This  morn- 
ing they  left,  and  we  are  trying  to  get  some 
mail  ready  to  send  with  the  canoe. 

Now  I  want  to  tell  you  about  our  school- 
house.  It  is  a  rough  up-and-down  board 
shanty,  sixteen  by  thirty  feet.  It  may  do 
for  a  schoolhouse  for  a  litde  while,  but  a 
larger  meeting-house  is  a  necessity.  We 
shall  soon  be  obliged  either  to  have  service 
out  of  doors  or  to  turn  away  many  who  are 
anxious  to  hear  the  word  of  life.  As  it  is 
now,  they  average  scarcely  more  than  a 
square  foot  each  in  the  space  they  occupy. 
The  people  have  been  accustomed  to  hud- 
dling together  in  a  way  perfecdy  surpris- 
ing to  a  white  person,  but  they  do  not  like  it 


I50 


LIFE   IN  A/.ASA'A. 


in  church ;  they  say  now  th('y  arc  learning 
white  men's  ways  and  they  do  not  wish  to 
sit  on  the  floor.  Many  of  thctm  have  come 
to  pay  much  more  attention  to  personal  ap- 
pearance. I  cut  clothing  for  them,  and  they 
take  great  pains  in  making  it.  Many  of 
these  people  stand  through  the  service  as 
close  together  as  cord-wood  rath(;r  than  sit 
down  in  such  a  mass  on  the  i\i)or.  Then 
we  expect  many  more  in  the  spring ;  they 
are  coming  from  above  to  build  here. 
They  ought  to  build  the  me(;ting-house 
themselves,  but  they  are  not  yet  ready  for 
that.  The  bare  mention  of  anything  to 
pay  would  empty  our  meeting-house  in  a 
day,  as  it  has  our  school  seve^ral  times  when 
the  report  was  circulated  that  we  would 
make  them  pay  for  it  after  a  while.  It 
will  require  the  grace  of  (jod  in  th('ir  hearts 
and  years  of  education  bt^forr;  they  will  do 
their  duty  in  the  matter  of  giving,  and  that 
they  may  receive  this  grace  and  education 
they  must  hear.  How  can  they  hear  if 
the  house  will  not  hold  them  ? 

Mr.  Willard  thinks  that  we  rould  build 
the   best   possible   house   for  this   locality, 


/.//'A   IN  ALASKA. 


151 


and  at  v<;ry  much  less  expense  than  a 
frame,  out  of  the  native  forest  which  sur- 
rounds us  her(!,  fitting  the  logs  into  each 
other  with  moss.     This  could  be  done  by 


cinix:A'i  woMA«  '•v>',WfNr,,  with  II kr  hahe  leaning  against 

THK    WAT.I,. 
I'frrm  n  Drawing  by  Mrs.  Wilhtrd. 

the  Indiunn,  under  direction,  at  twenty-five 
cents  per  lo^,  when  white  labor  no  better 
would  cost  three  dollars  and  a  half  per 
day  ;  and  It  would  give  employment  to  the 
people,  U)V  which  they  are  suffering.  This 
matter  given  us  no  little  concern — how  to 


152 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


employ  the  people.  They  are  waking  up 
to  new  wants,  they  are  rapidly  becoming 
dissatisfied  with  the  old  life,  and  they  are 
exceedingly  anxious  to  work  that  those 
wants  may  be  supplied ;  and  that  they 
should  be  supplied  is  necessary  to  the 
further  growth  and  development  of  those 
whom  we  are  trying  to  bring  into  the  light 
of  Christianity  and  civilization. 

There  is  another  thing  which  grows  upon 
us — the  necessity  of  some  more  special  work 
for  the  children.  It  would  make  your  hearts 
ache,  as  mine  has  ached  so  many  times, 
to  see  them.  I  do  not  refer  to  their  little 
naked  legs  and  bare,  bleeding  feet  as  they 
trudge  through  the  snow,  often  to  their 
waist,  to  school  and  church  all  this  winter 
weather;  nor  do  I  refer  to  seeing  them 
half  starved,  as  we  sometimes  find  them — 
not  these  things,  although  I  could  not  tell 
you  of  the  pain  they  have  given  me.  Af- 
ter all,  they  are  heroic  little  fellows  and 
make  the  most  of  life  as  they  find  it,  some- 
times even  seeming  to  prefer  nudity,  with 
the  mistaken  idea  that  in  enduring  all  this 
exposure    they  are   growing   very  strong. 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


153 


No,  it  Is  not  these  thini^s  that  have  driven 
us  to  say,  putting  our  trust  in  God  for  the 
means,  "  Something  must  be  done  for  these 
children."  Much  of  what  I  have  referred 
to  cannot  be  written  in  a  letter  like  this. 
Would  that  I  had  every  mother's  ear  in 
Christian  America !  The  mothers'  hearts 
would  burn  at  the  story. 

Dozens  of  these  children  have  been 
brought  to  us  by  their  parents,  who  begged 
us  to  take  them  and  teach  them  something 
better  than  they  could.  As  we  are  situat- 
ed, it  is  impossible  to  do  this,  however  our 
hearts  may  yearn  over  them. 

We  had  spoken  to  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson, 
when  he  was  here,  about  the  natural  ad- 
vantages for  a  Home  here,  but  he  was 
heavily  burdened  with  personal  obligations 
in  getting  the  mission  started  at  all,  and  he 
said, 

"  No ;  there  is  a  boys'  Home  at  Sitka, 
and  a  girls'  Home  at  Fort  Wrangell :  let 
them  go  there y 

So  with  might  and  main,  when  they  come 
to  us,  we  tell  them  of  those  good  Homes, 
and  the  good  people  in   charge   of  them, 


154 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


and  beseech  them  to  send  their  children 
there ;  but  invariably  come  the  impatient 
gathering  up  the  blanket,  the  averting  of 
the  head,  and  the  decided  "Clake  "  (  "No"). 
They  will  not  do  it.  Their  tribal  feeling  is 
very  strong,  and  their  pride  in  their  own 
mission,  to  a  degree,  is  proper  and  grati- 
fying ;  and  the  truth  is,  after  all,  that  though 
the  Sitka  Home  is  a  desirable  haven,  a  par- 
adise, for  Sitka  boys,  it  can  be  filled  from  the 
lower  coast.  And  it  is  not  wholly  desir- 
able that  our  boys  should  go  there,  for,  com- 
paratively, our  people  are  clean  and  pure. 
However  good  the  Home,  our  boys  could 
not  come  into  contact  with  the  united  cor- 
ruption of  white  and  Indian  Sitka  without 
learning  depths  of  evil  of  which  they  now 
have  only  the  hint.  And  another  thing  :  we 
are  fully  convinced  that  a  Home  could  be- 
come self-supporting  in  a  very  few  years, 
and  perhaps  support  all  this  mission.  We 
have  an  abundance  of  good  soil — lying  well, 
much  of  it — that  would  require  almost  no 
labor  to  prepare  for  cultivation.  We  could 
raise  enough  "truck"  here  to  supply  the 
whole  coast,  and  our  vegetables  would  find 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


155 


ready  market  and  good  prices  at  the  mines. 
If  we  had  a  little  steam-launch  we  could 
control  the  whole  matter,  with  no  middle- 
man to  eat  up  profits.  Now,  we  cannot 
ask  the  Board  for  this  help;  but  if  any  of 
the  churches  choose  to  help  us,  no  one  can 
object,  and  we  believe  that  it  would  be  the 
most  profitable  investment  for  the  work 
here  that  could  be  made — in  every  sense 
profitable ;  for  we  think  that  no  other  one 
thincr  could  have  such  an  influence  on  the 
people.  The  cost  to  begin  with  would  be 
comparatively  small.  The  house  could  be 
built  of  logs.  We  can  have  the  land  now 
for  the  taking;  but  if  report  is  true,  it  will 
not  be  so  long.  A  rush  of  population  is 
predicted  for  Chilcat  in  the  coming  spring. 
We  would  require  a  good  practical  farmer 
and  his  wife — thoroutrh  Christian  mission- 
aries — to  take  charge  of  the  Mome  and 
farm.  The  very  first  season  the  boys  could 
provide  their  own  vegetables  and  fish,  and 
I  believe  we  could  fill  such  a  Home  in 
less  than  a  week  from  our  own  villages. 
Will  you  not  help  us  ? 

That  God   may  guide  and   bless  us  all 


156 


LIFE    IN  ALASKA. 


in  the  furtherance  of  his  own  blessed  work 
is  the  earnest  prayer  of  your  friend, 

Carrie  M.  Willakd. 


To  the  Little  Mission  Band  of  the  Second 
Presbyterian  Church,  New  Castle,  Penn- 
sylvania, 

Ciin.cAT  Mission, 

Hainks,  Alaska,  February  3,  1SS2, 

My  Dear  Friends:  You  cannot  know, 
and  I  am  sorry  that  I  cannot  tell  you, 
just  how  much  of  good  it  did  us  when 
we  heard  from  one  of  your  number  th(!se 
words :  "  We  have  a  mission  band  now,  and 
we  are  working  for  Alaska."  Of  course 
you  know,  or  you  would  not  be  working 
at  all,  that  doing  for  "  one  of  these  little 
ones  "  is  doing  for  Jesus,  and  you  know  that 
nothing  done  for  that  dear  name  is  lost. 
You  will  have  large  reward  in  your  own 
hearts  now ;  and  up  there,  when  we  all  have 
gone  home,  will  it  not  be  sweet  reward 
when  I  see  and  recognize  some  of  these 
Chilcat  children  as  they  come  in,  and  after 
they  have  been  to  Jesus  he  lets  me  take 
them  by  the  hand  to  you  and  say,  '*  These 


/.//••/;    /A'  ALASKA. 


157 


are  the  little  ones  for  whom  you  \vo»*keid  so 
faithfully"?  Always  pray  while  you  work 
that  God  may  bless  all  you  do  in  makin<r 
it  the  means  of  savini^f  some  souls. 

When  I  heard  that  your  hearts  were 
turned  toward  this  stran<^e  land,  I  wanted 
to  tell  you  more  about  it,  and  I  will  try  to 
do  so.  Did  you  have  a  Thanksgiving  day 
at  home  this  year?  We  have  never  heard, 
but  we  ha  J  oie  here  on  the  third  Thursday 
of  November,  and  a  real  good  one  it  was. 
The  people  had  never  heard  of  such  a 
thing  before,  but  for  a  week  or  two  be- 
fore the  time  we  talked  with  them  about 
it ;  so  that  when  the  day  came  they  were 
ready.  Early  in  the  morning  our  bright 
flag  was  up  clear  to  the  top  of  the  pole, 
where  the  wind  waved  it  joyously.  The 
snow  was  white  and  deep  and  the  day 
clear  and  beautiful.  At  about  eleven 
o'clock  A.M.  the  bell  was  rung,  giving  out 
its  quickest,  happiest  tones.  Almost  at  its 
first  tap  the  people  poured  into  the  school- 
house.  And  I  wish  you  could  see  them  as 
they  answer  such  a  summons.  It  seems  to 
me  almost  the  prettiest  picture  I  ever  saw — 


158 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


the  eager,  pleasant  faces,  the  hurried  steps 
of  all,  the  movins^  and  Ljori^eous  colors  of 
their  clothini^  a<jainst  the  snow  at  their  feet 
and  the  blue-black  of  the  pine-forest  around 
them,  the  crrcat  mountains  back  and  above 
all,  while  the  glassy  waters  of  the  bay  give 
back  the  shadows  of  the  woods  and  the  colors 
of  the  sky.  After  they  had  sung  and  prayed 
and  listened  while  they  were  told  of  God's 
great  blessings,  the  meeting  closed  and  the 
playing  began,  in-doors  and  out.  But  the 
boys  soon  wearied  of  making  snow-men, 
because,  havinof  neither  shoes,  stockinofs 
nor  pants,  they  became  too  much  lik^i  Jack 
F'rost's  children  themselves.  In  the  even- 
ing we  had  the  two  best  classes  of  the 
school  come  to  a  party  in  our  home,  which 
they  seemed  to  enjoy  very  much.  I  found 
them  very  quick  in  taking  up  ne.  plays, 
full  of  fun  and  very  well  behaved. 

ThefA  I  think  you  would  like  to  hear 
about  our  Christmas.  Oh  how  I  did  wish 
for  some  of  your  deft  fingers  then  !  Just 
think !  sixty  nine  children,  besides  some 
grown  folks,  to  provide  for!  I'm  sure  it's 
a  good  thing  I  have  a  long  scrap- bag.     I 


L[FR   IN  ALASKA. 


159 


had  to  use  many  a  bit  and  all  the  wit  I  had. 
Many  of  the  children  were  very  irregular 
in  attendance  at  school ;  so  about  two 
months  before  Christmas  I  told  them  about 
it,  and  that  the  presents  would  be  <^raded 
accordinor  to  their  orood  works.  So  I  had 
to  grade  every  child  and  every  present. 
Mrs.  Dickinson,  the  teacher,  knit  several 
little  collars  of  yarn  and  two  small  scarfs, 
and  gave  me  about  a  dozen  tiny  dolls  out  of 
the  store,  which  helped  a  good  deal.  Then 
my  little  Indian  girl,  Kittie,  dressed  the 
dolls,  and  she  and  Mr.  Willard  trimmed 
the  house  with  evercrreens  and  flails,  and 
we  had  a  splendid  tree,  a  crowded  house 
and  a  good  time.  For  one  of  our  head- 
girls  I  made  a  charming  little  hood  out  of 
an  old  red-flannel  drawer-leL{  and  a  little 
bit  of  black  velvet ;  for  a  good  many  oth- 
ers I  made  little  bags  out  of  an  old  blue- 
silk  ruffle  I  had,  and  filled  them  accordinof 
to  works  with  buttons,  needles,  thread  and 
thimbles.  For  some — the  lowest — I  made 
only  little  red-flannel  needh^leaves ;  for 
others,  little  handkerchiefs  with  the  Tur- 
key-red initial  of  their  English  name. 


i6o 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


To  show  you  how  these  thincrs  were 
prized,  I  must  tell  you  how  a  young  wo- 
man was  dressed  the  other  day  at  church. 
She  has  most  beautiful,  soft,  shining-  hair, 
which  waves  back  and  hangs  loose  at  her 
neck.  Her  eyes  are  large  and  dark  and 
bright ;  her  cheeks  are  very  rosy.  She 
wore  a  skirt  of  the  most  brilliant  orange 
rtannel  and  a  loose  blouse  waist  of  some 
light  figured  calico;  about  her  neck  was  a 
white  handkerchief,  over  which  was  turned 
a  narrow  but  exceedingly  bright  blue  rib- 
bon, crossed  in  front  and  pinned  together 
with  my  scarlet-flannel  needle-leaves. 

As  a  general  thing  they  are  fond  of 
bright  colors,  but  there  are  some  sensi- 
tive  exceptions.  On  Sabbath  I  noticed  a 
young  woman  who  kept  her  eyes  down 
and  seemed  to  be  in  trouble ;  so  after 
service  I  spoke  to  Mrs.  Dickinson  about  it. 
She  said  that  I  might  have  noticed  the  wo- 
man wore  a  new  red  blanket,  and  had  made 
the  remark  to  the  interpreter  after  church 
that  she  felt  as  though  she  was  in  everybody's 
eye.     She  never  wore  the  blanket  again. 

The  women  are  always  modestly  dressed, 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


l6l 


althoiii^h  they  wear  very  little  clothing. 
They  have  a  long  loose  gown  of  calico 
gathered  to  a  yoke  at  the  top ;  over  this, 
a  calico  skirt.  When  dressed  up,  they  have 
a  jacket  to  match  the  skirt,  a  blanket  around 
them,  and  either  a  briglit-colored  cotton  or 
a  black-silk  handkerchief  over  their  head. 
Little  girls  dress  just  the  same,  only  some- 
times with  moccasins,  and  sometimes  with 
even  leather  knee-pants,  but  oftener  with 
no  clothing  for  feet  or  legs.  The  men  gen- 
erally wear  calico  shirts  and  unbleached  mus- 
lin drawers.  They  have  moccasins,  which 
they  wear  sometimes  with  high  tops,  some- 
times lengdiened  into  pants.  They  are 
lariife  enouii^h  to  admit  of  several  folds  of 
blanket,  which  takes  the  place  of  stockings. 
The  little  boys,  with  very  few  exceptions, 
wear  nothin<>-  in-doors,  this  custom  beincr 
varied  when  they  go  to  church  by  the  ad- 
dition of  a  little  calico  shirt. 

In  the  morning  the  men  and  boys  go 
down  to  the  water  in  the  river,  break  a 
hole  in  the  ice  and  dive  into  it.  Then, 
coming  out,  they  roll  in  the  snow  over  and 

over  and  betake  them  to  th(^  house  again. 
II 


1 62 


LIFE  IN  ALAJA'A. 


They  think  it  makes  them  strong-,  but  we 
know  that  in  some  cases  it  has  caused 
death,  and  there  is  ei  threat  deal  of  con- 
sumption among  the  people.  But  this, 
although  it  often  grieves  me,  is  notliing  to 
some  other  things  which  trouble  me  about 
these  children.  Oh,  my  little  sisters,  thank 
God  with  all  your  hearts  that  you  have  been 
born  in  a  land  and  in  a  time  made  light  by 
his  word. 

These  people  often  show  the  greatest 
family  affection.  In  one  case  it  is  beauti- 
ful— in  a  family  of  father  and  five  litth- 
girls,  the  baby  just  beginning  to  walk  and 
the  eldest  about  ten  years.  Their  mother 
was  shot  last  summer  during-  the  war  in 
the  upper  village.  She  came  out  with 
her  three-months-old  baby  on  her  back  and 
told  her  enemies  to  shoot  her.  They  took 
away  the  child  and  shot  the  mother  down. 
The  others  are  here  now,  and  I  never  saw 
more  manifest  love  in  any  family.  But 
their  old  superstitions  make  the  people 
very  cruel  and  iieartless. 

Of  all  the  customs,  there  is  not  one,  I 
think,  which  gives  me  so  much  trouble  as 


\j^ 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


163 


that  of  marryinor  their  children  and  selling 
them.  In  spite  of  us,  so  far,  there  are  in 
our  village  several  child-wives  from  nine 
or  ten  to  thirteen  years  of  age.  One  dear 
little  girl,  whose  baby-brother  died  and  was 
buried  some  months  ago,  and  whose  pa- 
rents seemed  so  heartbroken  at  his  loss, 
and  who  gave  us  reason  to  hope  that  th'^^y 
were  coming  into  the  light,  was  given  by 
her  parents  to  her  father's  brother,  a 
great  brutal  fellow,  who  already  had  a 
wife,  almost  blind,  with  several  feeble,  id- 
iotic children.  This  little  one  was  a  cren- 
tie,  delicate  and  beautiful  girl  of  about 
nine  or  ten  years.  When  I  see  her  now,  I 
almost  want  to  run  away  ;  for  I  feel  tempt- 
ed to  do  something  desperate,  tier  little 
face  is  bruised  and  swollen  ;  her  eyes  are 
bloodshot,  and  their  expression  would  bring 
tears  to  your  eyes.  She  sits  in  that  dark, 
cold  hut  with  only  those  most  repulsive 
beings  about  her,  sewing  away  for  them 
like  a  little  old  woman,  all  child-life  for 
ever  gone.  But  I  did  not  mean  to  bring 
such  a  shadow  on  your  young  hearts.  Do 
not  let  it  rest  there  long.     Only  that  you 


164 


l.IIE   IN  ALASKA. 


may  see  the  difference  betwi.T'n  lij^ht  and 
darkness  and  lonjr  more  earnestly  to  help 
send  the  word  of  God  into  the  far  corners 
of  the  earth. 

Now,  before  I  close  this  ainrady  lon^  let- 
ter, I  must  tell  you  a  little  incident  to  show 
you  how  much  some  of  these  children  ap- 
preciate their  school.  Before  the  people 
came  here  and  built  hous<'s  last  fall,  some 
of  the  children  woultl  brin^^  a  lunch  of  dry 
salmon  on  Saturdays  and  stay  all  the  week, 
sleeping  in  an  outhouse.  At  last  came  the 
threat  fish-festival,  the  j^ayest  time  of  all  the 
year  to  the  Indians,  when  they  take  their 
fish  for  winter  and  at  ni^^hts  have  their 
mask-dance  with  much  music  and  fca:;tinor. 
The  children  went  home  for  th(!ir  food,  and 
only  one  returned — faithful  little  Willis,  of 
about  ten  years  of  aj^e.  We  afterward 
heard  the  story  from  tlu!  village  people. 
The  good  times  proved  too  much  for  the 
other  children,  and  thc^y  determined  to 
stay  and  enjoy  them. 

It  is  for  these  little  ones  that  you  and  we 
are  working,  and  for  whom  we  long  to  have 
a  refuge.     If  the  miners  come;  here  in  the 


IJI'E    IN  ALASKA. 


165 


sprin^^  llv!  (!vil  influences  will  be  jrreatly 
increaM^rl,  and  our  little  girls  especially 
will  \ii'.  tlM!  sufferers.  We  are  thankful  that 
(iod  s<tru  tis  here  before  the  miners.  Pray 
that  bin  Holy  Spirit  may  work  among  this 
people;,  Carrie  M.  Willard. 

Cmii-cat  Mission, 

Haines,  Alaska,  Februai7  15,  1882. 

My  Dkar  Parents:  I  would  like  to  hear 
of  at  brant  two  missionaries  for  this  country 
in  tlut  Hj^ring.  We  think  of  you  all  every 
day,  ofUtn  wishing  we  could  see  you  step  in. 
We  do,  indeed,  think  of  you  often,  and  long 
to  sett  yrni,  but  we  are  very  careful  not  to 
let  that  longing  get  stronger  than  we  are. 
We  XM.Siiv  forget  that  our  home  is  here, 
and  that  It  is  the  only  home  in  the  Chil- 
cat  country.  .  .  . 


Cnii.rAT  Mission, 

IIainks,  Alaska,  February  17,  1882. 

Mv  Dkar  1m<ienus:  We  held  a  regular 
council  i)^  war  yesterday.  Jack  had  brought 
charg^'H  against  one  of  the  Chilcats  for  hav- 
ing killed,  in  Juneau,  last  fall,  his  own  wife, 


i66 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


who  was  of  Jack's  tribe,  and  the  latter, 
bein^  short  of  funds,  was  determined  to 
have  payment,  and  was  more  than  ready- 
to  fi.ijht  for  it.  On  the  other  hand,  the  ac- 
cused denied  the  charge  and  demanded  the 
proof,  which  Jack  could  not  give.  We  knew 
nothing  of  the  trouble  until  about  fifty 
of  the  strongest  men  of  both  tribes  filed 
into  our  house  with  their  faces  painted 
black  and  red  and  their  heads  tied  up. 
They  arranged  themselves — one  tribe  in 
a  close  row  on  one  side  of  the  room,  the 
other  tribe  on  the  opposite  side — and 
called  for  the  minister.  I  had  dinner  just 
ready  to  put  on  the  table,  but  I  set  it  back 
and  called  Mr.  Willard  from  the  study; 
and  that  was  the  last  of  dinner  till  about 
eight  o'clf>ck  that  evening.  We  had  no 
interpreter  but  Kittie.  The  poor  child  did 
grandly  in  all  the  circumstances,  which 
were  of  a  trying  nature  to  all.  Hour 
after  hour  the  loud,  violei  t  charges  were 
made,  and  the  refutation  as  loudly  and 
angrily  given,  until  we  were  all  tired  out. 
Mr.  Willard,  after  getting  the  run  of  the 
trouble,  took  paper  and  pencil,  and,  charg- 


LH'E   IN  ALASKA. 


167 


inof  the  m(Mi  to  tell  the  whole  truth,  and 
nothin<^  else,  he  proceeded  to  write  down 
their  words  for  the  man-of-war,  to  which 
he  referred  the  whole  matter.  Several 
times  they  seemed  on  the  very  point  of 
brcakinor  over  into  cutting  and  shooting. 
Twice  in  particular  I  thought  it  was  come 
to  that,  but  while  I  held  Baby  tight  in  my 
arms  Mr.  Willard  had  sprung  into  the  mid- 
dle of  the  floor,  and  with  a  tremendous  set- 
ting down  of  his  feet  and  bringing  down  of 
his  fist,  and  with  a  voice  that  almost  made 
me  quail,  he  brought  them  back  to  some- 
thing like  order.  Then  he  stood  up  and 
talked  to  them  until  you  could  almost  have 
heard  a  pin  drop,  except  for  the  often-re- 
peated "  Yug-geh"  ("Good").  Old  Jack  left 
with  angry  threats  before  the  good  feeling 
came,  when  he  found  that  he  could  gain 
nothing  unjustly  through  us. 

We  had  a  delightful  gathering  of  the 
children  to-night ;  all  seemed  to  have  a 
good  time,  and  we  feel  that  it  must  have 
done  L^ood.  We  made  Willis  master  of 
ceremonies,  and  all  did  so  well !  After 
leavinir  their  kerchiefs  and  blankets  in  the 


I 


i08 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


Indian  room,  they  came  to  tlie  sittinnr-room 
to  shake  hands  with  iis,  when  we  told  \\\vw\ 
each,  in  their  own  language,  that  we  were 
li^lad  to  see  them.  There  must  have  been 
over  a  hundred,  I  think  ;  we  played  many 
games,  then  sang  and  talked  and  praved 
together,  and  said  "  Good-night." 

Last  week  Mr.  Willard  probed  another 
of  their  deepest  cancers. 

The  Stick  Indians  of  the  interior,  from 
whom  these  people  get  all  their  furs  and 
their  wealth,  are  a  simple,  and,  so  far  as  we 
can  judge  by  those  who  have  dared  to  come 
here,  an  honest,  tribe — much  more  than 
these  their  superiors,  who  consider  them 
beasts,  just  as  some  of  the  whites  esteem 
these  Chilcats.  The  Chilcats  have  lied  to 
the  Sticks  and  cheated  them,  and  to  pre- 
vent their  comino-  to  the  coast  to  trade 
have  told  them  horrid  stories  of  the  whites, 
and  that  they  would  be  killed  if  they  came. 
The  few  who  have  ventured  here  have  been 
dogged  about  by  the  Chilcats,  and  look  like 
hunted  things.  We  have,  however,  gotten 
hold  of  every  one  and  told  them  of  Christ. 

One  of  the  Sticks  brought  a  nice  squir- 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


l6(j 


rcl-robe  to  Mr.  Willarcl  last  watk,  and,  as 
he  wanted  one,  he  bought  it  from  him  at 
just  the  same  price  that  he  would  pay 
either  our  own  people  or  the  trader ;  he 
paid  him  in  flour,  shot  and  powder.  You 
can  scarcely  imaj^ine  the  hornets'  nest  that 
was  stirred  up;  the  people  were  ready  to 
mob  us.  EaWy  next  morning,  before  we 
could  get  our  breakfast,  we  were  set  upon 
by  some  of  the  head-men,  of  whom  Cla-not 
was  spokesman.  Many  and  many  a  time 
he  had  asked  prices  of  goods,  and  we  had 
told  him  ;  but  he  wanted  us  to  tell  him  the 
truth  and  everybody  else  a  lie.  He  charged 
us  with  having  robbed  them ;  for,  said  he, 
"the  Sticks  are  our  money;  we  and  our 
fathers  before  us  have  gotten  rich  from 
them.  They  are  only  wild :  they  are  not 
men  ;  and  now  you  have  told  them  these 
things  and  taken  away  our  riches."  Mr. 
Willard  told  him  that  he  spoke  the  truth 
to  all  men,  nor  v;ould  he  lie  for  any :  he 
told  him  that  a  certain  advance  on  prices 
here  was  just  and  right  when  they  carried 
their  goods  into  the  interior,  but  that  it  was 
wrong  to  hinder  the  Sticks   from  coming 


170 


/,//•■/';  //V  ,i/..isa:i. 


here,  and  that  wh(!ii  they  broiiL^ht  th(;ir 
skins  here  it  was  only  rit^ht  tluit  they 
should  buy  and  sell  at  the  same  prices 
which  the  Chilcats  did.  He  asked,  too,  what 
they  brought  into  this  world  and  what  they 
expected  to  take  out  of  it,  and  tried  to 
show  them  that  they  were  heaping  up 
wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath.  That 
one  question  as  to  his  natural  pr(;stig(;,  al- 
though Mr.  Willard  has  used  it  many  times 
in  church  to  check  their  pride,  secimed  al- 
together new  to  Cla-not,  and  touched  him 
more  than  anything  else  that  was  said.  I  le 
reminded  us  of  his  hii^h  class  and  that  iiis 
father  and  o^randfather  had  had  wealth  be- 
fore;  him  ;  told  us  that  it  had  offend(!d  him, 
that  he  had  come  to  this  placi;  (expecting 
us  to  build  him  a  nice  house,  as  they  did  in 
Port  Simpson ;  there  the  peo[jle  prayed, 
then  told  the  missionary,  and  he  gave  them 
the  things  they  asked  for.  The  peopUt  here 
could  not  believe  what  we  preached  to  thcMii 
when  we  gave  them  nothing,  and  now  we 
had  taken  away  what  they  had.  He  would 
not  stay  in  this  place  any  longer,  H(;  has 
not   allowed    his  wife    to   com(i    to    church 


I.II'E    li\  ALASKA. 


171 


since  wc  talked  to  him  lien^  about  poly^^- 
amy ;  he  says  if  he  lets  her  hear  she  will 
give  him  shame — leave  him,  1  suppose  he 
means.     He  has  three  wives. 

You  must  not  for  one  moment  ima<nne, 
from  anythini:^  that  has  been  written  here, 
that  we  are  wt^ary  of  our  work,  or  ready 
to  give  it  up,  or  discouraged,  for  such  a 
thought  would  be  far  from  the  truth.  We 
expected  discouragements  and  trials;  it 
was  from  no  momentary  enthusiasm  or 
impulse  that  we  entered  upon  the  work, 
but,  as  we  know  our  own  hearts,  from  love 
to  God,  supreme  desire  to  serve  him  with 
our  all  and  an  earnest  conviction  that  he 
called  lis  hen;.  Our  minds  have  never 
wavered  for  an  instant.  Our  expectations 
have  been  realized — not  in  just  the  way  we 
looked  for,  perhaps,  but  in  trials  greater 
than  we  would  have  any  but  him  know. 
We  have  reason  to  "  rejoice  and  be  ex- 
ceeding glad."  Continue  to  pray  for  us 
that  we  may  be  faithful  unto  the  end.  In 
the  matter  of  which  I  have  written  (the 
boat)  our  object  is  not  to  escape  all  trial, 
but  simply  to  entrench  ourselves,  so   that 


172 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


we  will   be   able   to    stand  our  ground  in 
fiHitinof  the  lei^itimate  warfare. 

Monday,  Febniary  20. — On  Saturday  we 
came  home  from  our  usual  visitini^  of  the 
village  with  sick  hearts,  having  been  con- 
fronted with  the  charge  that  we  had  brought 
on  this  "  terrible "  winter  of  storm  and 
snow.  In  the  first  place,  it  was  because 
those  children  had  been  buried  instead  of 
burned;  then  Mr.  Willard  had  put  on  his 
snow-shoes  in  the  house ;  and  lastly,  we 
had  allowed  the  children  that  night  in  their 
play  to  imitate  the  noise  of  a  wild  goose. 
We  had  very  few  at  cliurch  yesterday,  and 
those  mostly  children.  Did  not  know  the 
reason  until  this  morning.  Two  women 
came  to  us  in  great  trouble.  One,  the  moth- 
er of  the  first  child  that  was  buried,  had 
been  the  subject  of  persecution  for  some 
time,  and  now,  since  jack  had  gone  below 
and  Cla-not  was  away  sc^al-fishirg,  the  peo- 
ple declared  that  should  the  storm  continue 
and  the  canoes  be  lost  they  would  kill  her 
without  mercy.  All  day  Sabbath  the  peo- 
ple had  been  ready  to  kill  her,  and  them- 
selves too.     She  had  sle|)t  none  that  night. 


A//'-/':   IN  ALASKA.                           1 73 

n 

T  Ui   people   were   out  of   food,  aiul   were 

unable,  on  account  of  the  snow,  to  «;o  to 

^e 

their   villaij^e    store-houses    for   more,   and 

\c 

they  were  desperate.     If  she  did  not  i^et 

1- 

tie  minister  to  show  her  where  the  grave 

it 

was   and  build   a  fire  over   it,   they  would 

d 

kill  her,  any  way.     Mr.  Willard  told  them 

;e 

that  neit  ler  the   burial  nor  the  place   had 

.f 

been  any  secret;  it  had  been  done  in  day- 

is 

light;  all  had  the  opportunity  of  knowing 

^e 

all  about  it.      Then    we   talked  vvit  i  them 

ir 

for  a  long  time,  trying  to  show  them  t  le 

e. 

foolishness  and  sin  of  tlijuir  superstitions; 

id             1 

and   th(;y  listened  so   w(;ll    that  t  u^y  went 

le 

away  saying  the  people  might  do  w  lat  they 

n             i 

-    liked:  they  would  build  no  lire.     They  said 

1- 

tie  people  had   built  great  fires  over  the 

id 

other  little   'graves,  and  had   brou</ht  two 

le 

days  of  beautiful  weather. 

w 

February  2f J. — Tie  storm  continuing,  the 

3- 

woman  yielded  yesterday  ;  and   this  morn- 

le 

ing   tiere    is  a   great    fire    on    the    beac  i, 

jr 

built  by  the  people,  around  w  lich  the  chil- 

3- 

dren  are  dancing  and  throwing  into  it  lit- 

1- 

tle  effigies.     Oi,  may  the  Lord  have  mercy 

t. 

on  this  poor  people  an(    deliver  them  from 

1/4 


l.ll-E   IN  ALASKA. 


such  idolatry !  It  is  still  snovviiiij^.  The 
fall  has  been  indeed  wonderful  to  us ;  I 
am  sure  we  must  have  had  twentv-five  feet 
at  least.  It  thaws  and  sinks  so  that  it  has 
hardly  exceeded  eight  feet  in  depth  at  any 
time,  but  it  is  so  solid  that  one  can  walk 
over  it  anywhere.  But  the  storms  are 
sometimes  so  blinding-  that  travelimj^  is 
next  to  impossible  Our  house  is  built 
hi^^h,  yet,  as  I  look  out  of  the  window,  I 
see  only  the  snow-cov^ered  apex  '<^i  the  out- 
house roofs  and  the  tops  of  a  few  trees  ; 
the  mountains  are  entirely  lost  i  :  the  storm, 
and  the  waters  of  the  bay  are  far  below  my 
snow  wall.  A  man  wanted  to  cut  some 
wood  for  us  last  week,  and  he  du<^  out  the; 
cord.  You  should  see  the  cavern — down, 
down,  down,  th(Mi  away  on  so  far  beneath 
the  surface.  But  a  very  different  picture 
our  interior  presents,  with  its  brii^ht-car- 
peted  sittinor-room,  roarinLj  wood-fire,  biii^ 
windows  of  lioht,  and  the  orreen  trailin<r 
moss  on  pictures  and  walls,  with  table  and 
shelf  of  ofood  and  brio-ht-covered  books  for 
friends.  As  one  of  tlu;  Indians  said  to  me 
one  evenini/  wh<  n,  unabk.'   to  tro  to  church. 


AN    ALASKAN    :5Ni  •W-hTOKM. 


LI  IE   IN  ALASKA. 


177 


i 


I  sat  rcadin^^r  at  home,  *'  You  can  stay  here 
all  alone  and  yet  have  many  friends,  for 
your  books  talk  to  you  like  people."  Do 
you  not  t'link  that  was  a  bright  remark  ?  It 
made  me  so  glad  and  thankful !  But,  above 
all,  our  little  home  is  bri^rht  because  of  i's 
quiet  content  and  its  litde  white  bird  in  the 
blue-gingham  apron,  whose  music  grows 
sweeter  every  day.  I  wish  I  could  give 
you  a  co*-rect  likeness  of  her. 

Monday,  February  :^7. — No  hint  of  out- 
houses now,  and  even  by  mounting  a  chair 
I  cannot  see  over  the  snow  aqfainst  the  win- 
clow.  We  had  only  about  sixty  at  church 
yesterday.  The  women  were  out  in  a 
body,  working  nearly  all  day  at  the  snow 
with  their  canoe-paddles,  trying  to  find  the 
little  grave,  but  with  no  success.  Late  last 
evening  they  came  again  to  get  Mr.  Wil- 
lard  to  go  with  them  ;  of  course  he  would 
not  go.  This  morning,  before  breakfast, 
our  kitchen  was  about  filled  with  them 
acrain.  He  told  them  that  he  knew  no 
more  about  it  than  they  did.  If  he  did,  he 
would  not  show  them  ;  and  he  wished  them 
to  come  to  him  no  mon'  k>r  such  a  pur|X)st\ 


12 


1/8 


LIFE    IN  ALASKA. 


Of  course,  in  all  thes(;  talks  w(!  1(^11  them 
why  it  is  wroni^  and  what  is  ri^ht. 

Another  lari^e  tirt!  was  kindled  on  the 
beach  last  week  for  the  |>iirpos(!  of  burn- 
ini^  the  hair  of  a  little  j^irl  who  had  dared 
to  comb  it  outside  \\m\  house.  It  was  im- 
mediately cut  close  to  h(;r  Ixtad  and  burned 
to  avert  catastrophe. 

I  think  the  saddest  of  their  sufx-rstitions 
are  those  which  most  dirrctly  affect  the 
livinir,  such  as  witchcraft.  When  a  \Ax\  is 
twelve  or  fourteen  years  (;ld,  she  is  se- 
cluded for  a  lenj^th  of  time  j^aeat  in  |>ro- 
portion  to  her  casLe — frr>m  six  months  to 
two  years — in  a  little  dark  room,  and  clur- 
injT  this  time  is  never  allowcrd  to  see  the 
daylight,  nor  any  face  save  her  mother's, 
who,  when  necessary,  j^oes  tUit  with  the 
mrl  after-niirht,  and  then  the  latter  is  close- 
ly  blankete;d. 

Some  evenings  ago  a  father  and  mother 
brought  their  liirle  girl  to  me  in  great  dis- 
tress. 1  he  people  wr-H!  so  angry  because 
she  was  not  iinprisonctd  according  to  their 
customs  that  it  was  not  safe  for  her  to  be 
seen  alone.      Hu-   m(*di<  jn'-men    declared 


Lll'li   IN  ALASKA. 


179 


that  thin  vas  one  cause  of  the  i^reat  snow- 
siorm.  She  is  one  of  the  briolitest  and 
best  ^^Jrln  in  the  village,  and  she  recently 
said,  "I  know  that  God  knows  all  things, 
and  that  he  sees  my  heart  while  I  say  I 
have  nothing  to  hide."  We  had  a  long 
Uilk,  and  among  other  things  the  father 
said  that,  to  show  me  how  the  people  be- 
lieved thfrse  things,  he  would  tell  me  what 
was  donfr  before  we  came.  A  girl  of  high 
chisH  during  a  time  of  bad  weather  was 
the.  subject  of  this  charge  by  the  medicine- 
men. She  denied  it.  The  storm  contin- 
ued. They  told  her  that  if  she  did  not 
confess  it  they  would  kill  her.  They  then 
commenced  to  torture  her  by  burning  her 
blanket  frorr,  her  by  inches  to  extort  her 
confession.  Her  blanket  was  half  burned 
from  her  body ;  still  she  denied  ;  still  the 
storm  raged.  They  next  killed  a  slave,  but 
without  the  desired  effect  on  the  girl,  and  last 
of  all  they  killed  her  and  burned  her  body, 
whf^n  immediately  the  storm  abated  and 
they  had  beautiful  weather.  When  lold 
that  these  custonjs  w<Te  not  regardc^d  by 
the  I'ort  Wrangeil  bidians,  and  that  they 


i8o 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


had  no  storms  as  a  consequence,  they  quick- 
ly rephed  tluit  this  country  was  very  differ- 
ent; the  least  little  thinij  would  brinij  snow 
here.  Of  course  we  tried  to  explain  to 
them  how  and  why  it  was  different. 

March  has  come  in  like  a  lamb.  Last 
eveninj^  we  saw  the  sun  set  ^rloriously  after 
so  lonj^-,  and  tliis  morning;  it  rose  with  equal 
sj)l(Midor.  About  noon  we  heard  the  report 
tliat  the  woman  had  at  last  been  successful 
in  fmdini^  the  grave  some  time  durin<r  the 
forenoon. 

March  iif). — Just  after  I  wrote  you  last, 
our  trials  in  sickness  bec^an,  but  God 
brou'dit  us  throuijfh  so  wonderfullv  '  I  think 
1  never  felt  so  thankful  for  i^nidance  and 
streni^^th  as  during  this  time  for  what  he 
so  mercifully  gave  me.  In  the  first  place, 
our  litde  Carrie  was  taken  with  I  know  not 
what,  but  she  chilled  and  fretted  and  cried; 
had  no  appetite,  yet  seemed  to  be  starving; 
seem('d  to  have  a  severe  cold  in  the  head, 
and  we  got  no  rest  at  night.  At  length,  on 
Saturday  night,  among  other  ways  of  sooth- 
ing hfrr,  I  tried  rubbing  her  back  widi  my 
bare  hand,  and  found,  to  my  astonishment 


LI  IE   IN  ALASKA. 


l8l 


(for  slu!  had  so  lonsj^  b(!fMi  exposed  to  it 
without  haviiii^  taken  tlie  disease),  that 
small-pox  was  comiii*^'-  out.  In  the  early 
mornini'  I  called  Mr.  VVillard  to  make  the 
fires  and  i^et  on  water  to  pack  Haby,  for 
she  was  cold  and  the  small-pox  not  comini^ 
out  well.  He  was  not  feeling'  well,  either, 
having  his  first  old-fasiiioned  headache 
since  coming  to  this  country;  and  upon 
getting  up  he  almost  fainted  several  times. 
At  last,  after  lying  down  between  attempts 
at  dr(!ssing,  Baby  meanwhile  screaming  as 
though  she  would  go  into  spasms,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  out  to  the  sitting-room, 
callin<x  Kittie  and  i^ettino-  a  fire  made.  As 
soon  as  possible  I  got  Carrie  into  a  soda- 
water  pack,  which  cpiickly  soothed  her  so 
much  that  she  allowed  Kittie  to  hold  her 
while  I  attended  to  Mr.  Willard,  who  by 
this  time  was  rollinor  on  the  fioor  in  his 
misery.  Having  bathed  his  head,  got  his 
feet  to  heating  and  made  him  a  cup  of 
tea,  which  he  could  not  swallow,  I  drank  a 
mouthful  myself  and  took  the  fretting  child. 
After  an  hour  or  so  I  got  her  down  in  a 
sweet  sleep,   which   lasted   for  two   hours, 


I82 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA 


Still  in  tho  pack.  Then  I  found  Mr.  Wil- 
lard  almost  delirious.  He  did  not  know 
what  ailed  him,  but  he  complained  of  aj^- 
onizin<^  pain — he  didn't  know  where — and 
of  burnin<^  up,  althou<rh  his  skin  felt  like 
a  dyintr  person's,  cold  and  clammy,  while 
his  color  was  a  sint^ular  mixture  of  purple, 
white  and  ij^reen.  I  soon  had  a  cot-bed  up 
in  the  sittiuLT-room,  bii^f  kettles  of  boiliniif 
water,  tub,  wrinij^er  and  blankets,  and  fairly 
forced  the  almost  crazy  man  into  a  scald- 
ing- pack,  with  llat-irons  all  arountl.  I  do 
spatched  Kittie  to  Mrs.  Dickinson  to  tell 
her  our  situation,  and  that  I  wished  she 
would  hold  the  Sunday-school. 

Mr.  Willard  grew  alarmingly  ill.  Baby 
woke  crying.  I  took  her  out  of  her  three- 
and-a-half  hours'  pack  and  gave  her  a  good 
bath  ;  she  was  then  brighter  and  better,  the 
small-pox  out  pretty  well.  Then  I  went 
back  to  Mr.  Willard  again.  Kittie  stayed 
hour  after  hour;  not  a  soul  came  near. 
At  last  he  fell  asleep,  and  by  and  by  my 
anxious  eyes  saw  that  the  sleep  grc^w  nat- 
ural; a  better,  redder  color  came  into  his 
face,  and  after  about  two  hours  there  came 


I.IIE    l.\   ALASKA. 


183 


a  littK;  natural  perspiration ;  and  when  I 
took  him  out,  although  Ik;  was  as  weak  as 
a  child,  he  was  himself  a^ain,  and  in  the 
course  of  a  week  he  had  almost  re<4aine(l 
his  old  footiuji;^.  Little  Carrie  soon  became 
very  restless  a<j^ain.  Tlu;  irritation  was 
fearful;  the  immense  pocks  had  pits  of  white 
matter  as  large  as  pc^as,  and  on  a  part  of 
her  body  so  thick  that  I  could  not  lay  a 
finger-end  b(;tween  them;  fortunatcrly,  there 
were  none  on  her  face  or  hands,  though 
they  were  thick  on  lu;r  little  head.  I 
packed  her  again,  and  again  at  b(;dtime 
bathed  her  with  weak  salt  water.  Still 
there  was  no  rest,  with  all  I  could  do,  for 
several  days  and  nights,  though  she  was 
doing  well  and  had  entirely  recovered  in 
two  weeks,  while  the  Indians  are  sick  with 
the  disease  many  weeks,  sometimes  months, 
and  quite  a  numb      have  died. 

Of  course,  after  this  siege,  I  did  not  feel 
quite  young,  but  \  WaS  happy  in  having  my 
dear  ones  living  and  well,  and  you  know  as 
well  as  I  can  tell  you  that  1  had  the  tender- 
est  care  and  nursing  when  I  needed  it.  .  .  . 

I  make  our  things,  as  far  as  I  can,  out  of 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MS80 

(716)  872-4503 


1 84 


LITE   IN  ALASKA. 


the  material  which  the  Indians  use  to  such 
poor  advantage ;  I  want  to  teach  them  the 
iitiHty  of  beauty.  After  I  had  finished 
Baby's  fur-lined  and  trimmed  button  shoes 
of  the  reindeer  skin  and  the  litde  cloak  and 
bonnet,  the  women  kept  repeating,  "  In- 
dians know  nothing^'  and  "Mother  Nauk-y- 
stih  knows  everything ;"  which  extravagant 
assertions  were  the  outcome  of  an  energy 
which  afterward  wrought  something  more 
substantial  in  the  shape  of  improved  cloth- 


mg. 


Carrie  M.  Willard. 


Extracts  from  Letters  of  Rev.  Eugene  S. 

Willard. 

January  26,  1882. 

Dear  Dr.  Jackson  ;  I  spent  last  week 
at  the  upper  village  teaching  and  visiting 
among  the  people.  My  knowledge  of 
Kling-get  was  not  sufficient  to  undertake 
preaching  while  there.  I  brought  over  a 
dozen  people  down  to  spend  the  Sabbath 
here ;  others  have  come  to  stay  that  their 
children  may  go  to  school.  Many  of  the 
people  are  making  arrangements  to  build 
here  in  the  spring.     I  wish  all  the  people 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


185 


could  collect  together,  as  it  would  be  so 
much  easier  reaching  them.  I  made  about 
one-half  of  the  way  up  the  river  on  a  pair 
of  American  club  skates,  and  coining  back 
I  made  about  the  same  distance  on  snow- 
shoes.  I  had  difficulty  in  getting  the  chil- 
dren togc  ':her.  They  were  willing  to  come, 
but  had  no  idea  of  time.  I  very  much 
needed  a  large  hand-bell  to  summon  them. 

We  are  getting  along  finely  at  this  point. 
The  school  is  large,  and  the  congregation 
on  Sabbath  completely  fills  our  schoolhouse, 
so  that  not  a  square  foot  is  vacant  from  the 
platform  to  the  door.  A  larger  building  is 
needed.  I  look  anxiously  for  word  from 
you,  that  1  may  know  the  signs  of  the  times. 

March  25,  1882. — We  feel  certain  of 
receiving  word  from  you  by  next  mail,  for 
the  accumulation  of  five  months  awaits  us 
at  Juneau.  The  steamer  promised  for  the 
first  of  the  month  has  not  yet  arrived. 
There  will  be  much  to  attend  to  when  it 
does  come,  for  the  mail  strain  is  always 
great,  and  this,  after  so  long  a  famine,  will 
be  almost  too  much  for  poor  human  na- 
ture.    We   had   our   expectations  kindled 


1 86 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


yesterday,  when  we  saw  a  canoe  coming 
around  the  south  point  of  the  bay,  from 
Juneau  ;  but  no  mail  was  broucrht,  thouo-h 
we  have  word  through  the  Indians  that 
there  are  two  large  sacks  for  us.  The 
brave  Kling-get  was  afraid  to  bring  it  up, 
not  knowing  he  would  get  his  pay.  They 
will  do  nothing  without  pay,  but  expect  us 
to  give  them  everything  and  do  everything 
for  them  for  nothing.  I  am  not  of  the  opin- 
ion of  those  who  believe  that  this  ought  to 
be  done.  I  wanted  to  get  the  idea  into 
their  heads  that  we  came  amoncr  them  for 
other  reasons  than  to  hire  them  to  be  friends 
to  us.  The  people  in  a  general  way  are 
friendly. 

March  30. — We  had  the  largest  prayer- 
meeting  last  night  that  we  have  had  since 
coming  here.  Our  house  was  so  full  of 
Indians  that  it  was  difficult  to  get  from  one 
room  to  the  other.  The  kitchen  and  sit- 
ting-room are  connected  by  folding- doors, 
so  that  it  is  like  one  large  room,  equally  as 
large  as  the  schoolhouse.  .  .  . 

It  seems  strange  when  I  think  of  It — this 
leaving  the  house  sometimes  full  of  red- 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


187 


skins.  Before  coming  among  them  1  had 
thought  it  would  not  be  safe  to  turn  one's 
back  to  them.  .  .  .      Eugene  S.  Willard. 


Chilcat  Mission, 

Haines,  Alaska,  April  5,  1882. 

Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson — 

Dear  Brother:  The  Favorite  came  in 
yesterday  afternoon  with  mail  from  the  mid- 
dle of  November  up  to  March ;  of  course 
it  took  us  till  midnight  to  look  over,  read 
and  arrange,  and  then  we  retired  before 
we  were  through,  but  not  to  get  one  wink 
of  sleep. 

We  received  a  flag  by  express  (an  ele- 
gant gift  from  the  young  people  of  Joliet, 
Illinois),  and  our  piano ;  the  latter  is  in  the 
sitting-room,  and  I  have  already  played 
some  old  tunes  on  it  for  the  Indians,  but 
I  think  it  did  me  more  good  than  them, 
though  they  were  so  delighted.  It  came 
without  a  case  from  Sitka,  as  it  alone  had 
barely  been  rescued  by  the  miners  from 
the  fire  which  utterly  destroyed  the  boys' 
Home  and  much  of  their  goods,  leaving 
poor  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Austin  homeless  and 


1 88 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


impoverished  again.  Oh,  I  long  to  give 
them  everything  I  have  !  Dear  people  ! 
vi^hat  trials  they  have  had !  and  how  nobly 
they  bear  them  !  May  the  Lord  show  them 
great  light  and  comfort!  What  a  miner- 
ling  of  feelings  these  letters  give  us — so 
much  of  sorrow,  and  yet  so  much  of 
joy!  .  .  . 

Our  village  here  will  soon  be  left  to 
itself.  The  Indians  are  even  now  com- 
mencing to  separate.  Some  go  to  the 
lower  Chilcat,  some  to  Chilcoot  and  some 
to  Tenany,  a  fishing-village  between  this 
and  Chilcoot,  about  three  or  four  miles  by 
water  from  here.  Others  go  up  the  Dy-ya 
Inlet  some  fifteen  miles,  and  others  to  the 
upper  village ;  so  that  Mr.  Willard's  cir- 
cuit-riding— or,  rather,  paddling — will  soon 
commence. 

Apj^il  8. — The  Sunday-school  papers  are 
indeed  a  treasure ;  we  have  had  none  for  a 
good  while,  and  the  people  seem  hungry 
for  them.  I  never  saw  such  eagerness, 
even  among  white  children  at  Christmas,  as 
these  people,  old  and  young,  evinced  as  the 
papers  came  out.      They  are    seized    and 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


189 


hoarded  as  the  greatest  treasure,  the  pict- 
ures pored  over  right  side  up,  upside  down 
and  sideways,  though  the  Indians  cannot 
read  a  line.  The  school-children,  however, 
pick  out  the  little  words  and  enjoy  that. 

You  ask  about  the  animals  here.  Cin- 
namon, black  and  brown  bears  are  said  by 
the  Indians  to  be  numerous  in  the  woods 
all  around  us.  In  crossing  the  trail  to  the 
lower  villages  the  men  always  carry  knives 
or  guns  with  them.  Foxes,  wolves,  wol- 
verines and  many  other  animals  abound. 
There  are  many  reindeer  farther  in  the  in- 
terior. We  have  many  varieties  of  birds. 
I  have  seen  more  eagles,  ravens  and  gulls 
than  any  other  b:  ds,  but  there  are  grouse 
of  different  kinds,  the  most  beautiful  being 
the  snow-white.  In  the  waters  there  are 
seals,  walruses  and  beaver;  halibut  and 
spotted,  red,  also  white,  salmon ;  a  deli- 
cious litde  silver  fish,  in  size  and  shape 
resembling  the  small  herring:  these  are 
the  fish  which  the  people  are  said  to  use 
for  candles,  sticking  the  head  in  the  ground 
and  lighting  the  tail.  They  also  make  of 
them  a  grease  white  as  lard,  which  they 


IQO 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


\h 


very  much  prize  for  food.  Ducks  are  very 
plenty,  from  the  real  mallard  down  to  the 
little  fish-duck  ;  but  we  do  not  get  many  of 
them,  as  the  Indians  prefer  lying  around 
their  big  fires  eating  dried  salmon  to  fish- 
ing and  hunting,  except  for  the  seal. 

One  day  I  saw  that  a  man  had  brought 
in  a  young  seal.  I  went  down  to  the  boat 
where  he  and  his  wife  were  unloading  and 
told  him  I  wished  to  buy  a  piece.  The  wo- 
man shook  her  head,  saying  that  seal  would 
kill  white  people ;  but  I  insisted,  and  at 
leng-th  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeinc^-  the 
animal  skinned  and  quartered.  Under  the 
skin  there  is  a  layer  of  pure  fat  from  one 
to  two  inches  thick  all  over  the  animal ;  this 
is  used  for  oil.  The  flesh  is  almost  black ; 
for  bones,  there  are  but  the  back-bone  and 
ribs.  I  baked  my  purchase  for  dinner;  it 
was  not  very  bad,  nor  can  I  say  that  we 
liked  it  very  much.  The  taste  is  a  cross 
between  fish  and  animal. 

As  I  have  already  mentioned,  there  have 
been  two  brothers  here  in  the  Chilcat  coun- 
try since  Christmas,  by  the  names  of  Aurel 
I  and  Arthur  Krause,  both  doctors  of  natu- 


; 


LIFE    fN  ALASh'A. 


193 


ral  science  from  th(i  University  of   Berlin, 
Prussia.      They  consider  the  country  rich 
from  their  standpoint,  and  in  scenery  they 
say  it  surpasses  everything  they  ever  saw 
before,   although  they  have  spent   months 
among  the  Alps  and  have  traveled  exten- 
sively through  the  East.     They  crossed  the 
American  continent — last  spring,  I  think — 
and  went  on   a  whaler  to   Siberia,  where 
they  remained  some  months  before  coming 
here.     They  are  indefatigable  workers,  and 
have  quite  upset  the  old  geography  of  this 
locality,  making  a  new  map  of  it.     I  asked 
Dr.  Arthur  (the  elder  brother  left  for  home 
by  the  last  steamer)  if  their  reports  had  been 
printed  in  America.      He  said  only  a  few 
geographical  items :  the  rest  were  sent  di- 
rect to  Germany,  with  innumerable  speci- 
mens. .  .  .  Carrie  M.  Willard. 


Ciiii.CAT  Mission, 

llAiNts,  Alaska,  April  12,  1882. 

My  Dear  Little  Sister:  Your  little  let- 
ter was  a  treat.  I  wish  you  could  give  us 
one  every  month.  .  .  . 

I  cannot  v;rite  you  much  of  a  letter  all 

13 


194 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


to  yourself  this  time,  but  I  must  answer 
one  part  of  yours.  You  are  anxious  to 
do  good,  to  help  along  the  work  of  bring- 
ing the  world  to  Jesus,  and  I  understand 
perfectly  well  how,  to  your  mind,  Alaska's 
claims  are  stronger  than  others.  Yo"  love 
its  missionaries ;  so  your  sympathies  are 
quicker,  your  perceptions  of  its  need  keen- 
er. Owing  to  your  intimate  relations  to  us, 
your  information  is  fuller ;  and  that  alone 
would  give  you  a  deeper  interest  in  this 
field.  I  am  glad  and  thankful  that  you 
have  an  eager  interest  in  our  work.  But, 
my  little  sister,  it  is  all  God's  work ;  do  not 
say  that  you  will  not  work  with  the  society 
if  they  do  not  work  for  Alaska.  There  are 
heathen  in  Mexico  for  whom  some  one  must 
labor  if  they  are  ever  brought  to  Christ. 
There  are  missionaries  who  are  working 
faithfully  there  whose  hearts,  I  have  no 
doubt,  have  their  discouragements  and  tri- 
als, and  who  need  the  comfort  of  loving 
deeds  and  cheering  words  as  much  as  we. 
Will  It  not  be  nobler  to  say  to  your  society, 
"  Work  for  Christ,  and  I  am  with  you  with 
all  my  heart"  ?  and  if  it  is  their  wish  to  work 


^ 


\ 


1" 


LIFE   IM  ALASKA. 


195 


for  Mexico,  work  just  as  earnestly,  ancl  juHt 
as  ;:;onerously,  as  though  it  were  all  to  tom^j 
here.  It  all  goes  into  the  same  eternal 
tr(!asury,  you  know.  Your  loving  inten:<>t 
is  more  sweet  to  us  than  I  can  tell,  and  we 
should  much  enjoy  having  an  unbroken 
family  working  for  the  land  for  which  we 
are  willing  to  lay  down  our  lives,  but  the 
other  is  the  truer,  broader,  nobler  thou;<ht 
— that  the  world  Is  the  field  and  th(i  one 
Lord  is  the  Master.  It  will  be  sw(iet  in 
that  day  when  we  come  togethc^r  before 
the  Lord  of  the  harvest  one  family,  fiut 
with  bundles  from  the  north  and  from 
the  south,  having  helped  to  make  them 
one.  .  .  .  Carrie  M.  Willaui*, 


To  the  Sabbath-School  of  the   Presbyterian 
Church  of  East  Springfield,  New  York. 

Chilcat  Mission, 

Haines,  Alaska,  April  14.,  v%%t. 

My  Dear  Friends:  The  little  steamer 
Favorite  dropped  into  our  harbor  on  Tues- 
day of  last  week  for  the  first  time  since 
last  October,  and  we  do  not  expect  to  see 
H"r  again  before  the  autumn ;  so  that  our 


196 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


dependence  will  be  upon  chance  canoes  for 
mail  and  supplies  for  another  six  months, 

I  have  been  questioned  in  regard  to  facil- 
ities for  communication  with  the  outer  world. 
They  are  rather  meagre.  Port  Townsend, 
Washington  Territory,  is  the  most  north- 
westerly port  in  the  United  States.  Ves- 
sels are  frequent  between  that  point  and 
San  Francisco  and  Portland,  Oregon  ;  also 
a  railroad,  connecting  by  stage  with  the 
Central  Pacific,  runs  to  within  a  few  miles 
of  Port  Townsend.  From  that  point  there 
is  but  one  steamer  per  month  for  the  North ; 
that  leaves,  or  aims  to  do  so,  on  the  first 
day  of  each  month.  If  a  letter  is  an  hour 
behind  the  leaving  of  the  steamer,  you  see, 
it  will  be  a  month  late  in  reaching  any  Alas- 
kan port;  and  if  it  miss  our  semi-annual 
steamer  at  Juneau,  and  no  chance  canoe 
comes  along  bound  for  the  Chilcat  coun- 
try, it  may  be  six  months  late  in  reaching 
us.  The  steamer  from  Port  Townsend 
touches  first  at  Fort  Wrangell,  then  Sitka, 
then  Juneau,  and  goes  back  by  way  of 
Fort  Wrangell. 

The   Favorite  is  a  small  trading-vessel 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


197 


1  : 


which  merely  runs  between  the  ALskan 
posts  of  the  North-West  Trading  Com- 
pany as  their  stores  demand  new  supplies 
or  have  a  quantity  of  furs  to  send  below. 
Last  summer  it  visited  this  point  several 
times,  but  hereafter,  I  believe,  they  expect 
to  make  the  trip  only  in  spring  and  fall.  It 
is  the  only  steamer  which  comes  nearer 
than  Juneau,  except  as  occasion  demands 
the  presence  of  the  man-of-war  anchoring 
at  Sitka. 

You  wish  to  know  what  we  have  to  eat 
and  where  it  comes  from.  Of  course,  this 
first  year,  we  have  no  food  except  as  we 
buy  it.  What  you  buy  "  down  town,"  we 
order  from  Pordand  or  San  Francisco,  from 
fifteen  hundred  to  two  thousand  miles  away; 
and  if  our  goods  are  left  behind,  as  they 
were  last  fall,  we  are  brought  to  great  want 
or  to  the  unplea:".ant  alternative  of  purchas- 
ing very  inferior  store-goods  at  high  rates. 
Owing  to  a  very  natural  repugnance  to  do- 
ing this,  both  because  of  the  lead-distress 
which  the  poor  canned  goods  gave  us  and 
because  v/e  dreaded  being  in  debt,  we  have 
frequendy  tried   the  former  plan  ;    but  we 


198  LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 

have  always  had  flour,  and  I  have  learned 
how  to  make  many  dishes  out  of  bread,  in 
lieu  of  meat,  vegetables  and  fruit.  Occa- 
sionally we  have  been  fortunate  enough  to 
get  beautiful  spotted  trout  from  the  river 
at  the  upper  village,  and  now  and  then 
ducks,  Indian  chickens  and  grouse ;  but  on 
account  of  the  great  snow  the  people  have 
lain  almost  dormant  so  far  as  hunting  is 
concerned. 

In  summer  both  fish  and  berries  are 
abundant,  and  of  both  there  are  many 
varieties,  of  the  former  ranging  from  hali- 
but to  the  litde  *'  rock,"  and  of  both  salt 
and  fresh  water.  We  ate  of  eleven  kinds 
of  berries  last  summer,  and  still  there  were 
other  kinds  we  did  not  taste.  We  could  not 
often  get  more,  however,  than  enough  for 
one  meal  at  a  time.  We  find  the  goose- 
berry, black  currant,  huckleberry  and  soft 
red  raspberry  of  the  States  growing  wild. 
The  other  varieties,  so  far  as  I  kno%,  are 
peculiar  to  this  country. 

The  delicious  trout  are  very  abundant 
through  the  winter  in  Upper  Chilcat  River, 
the  only  difficulty  being  to  get  them  brought 


u 
V 


^ 


r, 


r 


1 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


199 


down  here.     The  men  and  boys  catch  them 
by  cuttuig  a  hole  in  the  ice  and  dropping  in 
bait  of  salmon-eggs,  for  which    the  trout 
come  in  great  numbers.     Then,  with  a  pe- 
cuUar  sort  of  spear-hook,  they  are  brought 
up — as  many  as  five  at  a  time  on  one  stick  ; 
but  the  people  depend  principally  upon  the 
salmon,  which  they  dry  during  the  month 
of  September,  and  salmon-eggs  and  the  sal- 
mon-berry, which  they  preserve  together  in 
salmon-oil.      They   prepare    huckleberries 
also,  for  winter  use,  by  washing  them,  and 
drying  them  between  two  boards  perhaps 
a  foot  square.      The   berry-cake   is  about 
three-fourths  of  an  inch  thick,  tart  and  tastes 
very  strong  of  wood- smoke.     They  also  dry 
seaweed  and  use  it  with  a  general  boiled 
dinner    of    salmon-eggs,    berries    and    oil 
in   the  same  pot.     The  seaweed   has   cer- 
tain medicinal  properties  which   render  it 
exceedingly  valuable  in  such  a  bill  of  fare 

much  as  our  eoorl  pnd  wise  mothers  at 

home  value  onions  for  their  families.  When 
this  pot-dinner  is  cooked,  the  pot  itself  is 
taken  down  from  the  hook  and  chain  by 
which  it  is  suspended  from  the  roof-beams 


200 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


over  the  great  central  fire,  and  the  family 
o^ather  about  it  with  bone  and  wooden 
spoons  varyin<^  in  size  according-  to  the  size 
of  the  individual,  that  belonging  to  the  baby 
being  about  the  size  of  a  common  soup- 
ladle,  while  that  used  by  the  head  of  the 
household  is  near  the  size  of  his  own  head. 
When  they  do  not  boil  their  fish,  they  roast 
it.  After  splitting  it  open  quite  ilat,  they 
pass  through  it,  cross-wise,  at  Uie  top  and 
bottom,  a  little  rod,  and  lengthwise  a 
stick  lonof  enouorh  to  run  into  the  pround 
and  at  the  same  time  support  the  fish 
air^inst  the  blaze. 

You  also  inquire  as  to  our  fuel.  It  is 
wood  alone,  which  in  this  part  of  the  pe- 
ninsula is  abundant.  So  far  we  have  seen 
no  indications  of  coal  amoncr  these  moun- 
tains.  .  .   . 

Now  that  the  days  are  growing  longer 
and  warmer,  it  is  a  trying  matter  to  walk 
without  snow-shoes,  for  in  spots  the  snow 
has  softened  enough  suddenly  to  let  one 
down  to  the  shoulders.  This  snow  has 
given  us  a  great  deal  of  trouble  with  the 
people,  and  yet  it  has  been  the  means  of 


y 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


20I 


discovering  to  us  their  true  character  and 
their  superstitions,  that  otherwise  we  might 
have  been  years  in  finding  out ;  and  as  we 
learn  their  need  we  are  able  to  find  the 
remedy,  though  only  God's  Holy  Spirit 
can  cause  it  to  take  effect. 

At  times  throuMi  the  winter  it  seemed 
doubtful  whether  we  should  see  the  spring, 
so  intense   would   become   the   excitement 
of  the  people  upon  a  return  of  the  snow- 
storm.    At  none  of  their  old  villages  do 
they  have  anything  to    compare  with  the 
quandty  of  snow  which  falls  here.      This 
difference  is  quite  easily  explained  to  per- 
sons  of  intellii^ence.      You  are  aware  of 
the   cause   and   effect    of  the  warm  Japan 
current,  which  by  its  proximity  gives  to  Sit- 
ka its  mo''-t-  and  ai^freeable  climate.     There 
is   from   this  stream  a  great  and  constant 
evaporation,  which  in  summer  falls  among 
the  mountains  of  that  lower  coast  in  the 
form  of  rain.     Durlncr  the  winter  the  course 
of  the  winds  is  northward,  and  they  bear 
with  them   these   heavy  vapors,  which,   as 
they  come  in  contact  with   our  icy  moun- 
tains, are  condensed  and  fall  upon  us  in 


202 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


the  form  of  snow.  If  you  examine  the 
map  of  this  country,  you  will  see  that  Linn 
Channel  is  walled  on  either  side  by  high 
mountain- ranges,  which  at  the  head  of  the 
channel  separate  more  widely,  admitting 
between  them  the  Chilcoot  and  Chilcat 
Rivers.  Between  these  rivers,  with  their 
farther  mountain-walls,  is  the  peninsula  of 
Chilcat,  which,  southward  from  Portage 
Bay,  is  comparatively  fiat.  Immediately 
at  the  head  of  the  bay  begins  a  mountain, 
which  extends  unbroken  across  the  penin- 
sula from  river  to  river,  forming  a  perfect 
"back-step"  and  condenser  to  these  bur- 
dened winds  from  the  south.  Our  mission 
village  lies  in  the  lap  of  these  mountains, 
her  feet  dropping  into  the  bay,  while  the 
other  villages  lie  to  the  north,  under  the 
sheltering  shadow  of  these  **  everlasting 
hills."  They  are  also  protected  by  ab- 
rupt turns  in  the  rivers.  This  explanation, 
though  so  simple  and  natural  to  us,  is 
entirely  beyond  the  comprehension  of  the 
people  here,  who  are  ignorant  and  whose 
minds  are  so  steeped  in  superstition. 
To-day  (the  17th)  the  snow  is  falling  as 


( 

i 


> 


o 
X 

> 

2! 

r- 

C/l 

2 


> 


> 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


205 


heavily  as  ever,  and  I  presume  some  one 
will  soon  be  in  to  take  me  to  account  for 
daring  to  bring  into  the  house  on  my  foot, 
yesterday,  one  of  my  snow-shoes,  which  I 
could    not   readily    remove.      Another   of 
their    complaints    was    that    the    minister 
had  made  figures  of  stars  on  the  snow  when 
living  the  young  men  a  litde  out-door  lect- 
ure on  astronomy,  and  so  brought  bad  wea- 
ther.     Upon    several    occasions   we   were 
taken   by  force,  the  people  filing  in   until 
our   room   was    pretty  well   filled.      They 
came  before  breakfast;    they  came  in  the 
night  and  at  all  hours  intervening.      We 
tried   reasoning,   then    ridicule,  and   lasdy 
authority,   forbidding  them    to    trouble    us 
any  more  with  their  complaints  or  threats. 
Soon  spring  will  be  here,  and  their  trouble 
on  this  score  will  be  at  an  end.     We  hope 
and  pray  that  ere  the  falling  of  another  win- 
ter's "nows  God  may  have  caused  the  light 
of  his  truth  to  enter  their  hearts  and  minds. 
He  has  mercifully  preserved  the  lives  of  all 
who  were  out  hunting  and  trading  in  the 
interior;    though  many  were  ill   from    ex- 
posure and  two  canoes  were  wrecked  in 


206 


LIFE    /A^  A/.ASh'A. 


the  fierce  storms,  yet  all  the  people  were 
brought  back  in  safety.  .  .  . 

The  Indians  call  us  "  the  snow-people  *' 
— not  because  they  think  we  brought  the 
snow,  but  because  we  are  white.  Baby 
Carrie  they  call  "little  snow-woman."  Mr. 
Willard  they  have  named  Don-a-wok,  which 
means  "  silver  eye  "  or  "  bright  eye."  .  .  . 

Carrie  M.  Willard. 


Chm.cat  Mission, 

llAiNKs,  Alaska,  May  8,  1SS2. 

My  Dear  Mrs.  Haines  :  I  have  not  yet 
heard  from  Mrs.  Downino-,  but  I  have  taken 
the  little  girl,  to  do  for  her  all  in  my  power. 
It  was  a  burden  at  this  time,  for  my  hands 
are  full  now  to  overflowing;  but  I  felt  that  it 
was  the  ordering  of  God,  and  that  he  would 
strengthen  me  for  every  task  he  gave. 

A  week  ago  last  Saturday  (April  29) 
we  found  that  our  village  here  was  almost 
deserted,  the  people  having  gone  to  Nauk 
Bay,  some  ten  or  twelve  miles  down  the 
channel,  to  fish,  there  being  in  that  place 
an  immense  run  of  herring.  Accordingly, 
we  put  our  things  together  and  followed 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


207 


the  people  to  spend  the  Sabbath  at  their 
fishinir-g^round.  Some  half  dozen  persons 
who  had  intended  remainino^  here  till  Mon- 
day went  down  also  on  Saturday,  as  they 
said  they  could  have  no  Sunday  here  with- 
out us  ;  so  there  were  left  in  this  villa^^e  only 
a  few  old  people  and  some  children,  among 
them  my  little  girl  and  her  grandparents. 
They  came  down  to  Nauk  on  Sabbath  just 
in  time  for  church.  Some  of  the  people 
were,  I  think,  very  glad  to  see  us,  but  many 
looked  dark  at  our  coming;  they  had  in- 
tended to  work  all  that  day. 

On  Saturday  we  saw  them  fishing.  In 
the  stern  of  the  canoe  sat  a  woman  or 
child  to  paddle ;  in  the  prow,  a  man  with 
a  long  pole,  through  which  were  driven 
many  sharpened  nails.  This  pole  was  used 
much  in  the  same  way  as  a  paddle,  but  with 
every  dip  were  brought  up  and  dropped  into 
the  canoe  from  one  to  six  fish.  In  a  very 
short  time  the  canoes  were  half  filled,  and 
then  taken  ashore  and  the  fish  emptied  into 
great  basins  dug  in  the  pebbly  beach,  where 
the  women  cleaned  them  and  strung  them 
on  long  sticks  to  dry.     As  the  tide  went 


208 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


out  children  ran  alon«^  the  shore,  and  from 
among  the  sea-moss  gathered  fish  by  the 
tubful.  The  people  worked  late  on  Satur- 
day night;  we  had  our  evening  worship 
with  a  few  of  the  children  on  the  rocks 
overhanging  the  workers,  where  they  could 
hear  the  hymn. 

At  the  dawn  of  Sabbath  six  or  eicfht  ca- 
noes  dropped  down  into  the  bay  again  for 
fish,  but  the  parties  soon  returned  with  emp- 
ty boats  and  very  long  faces.  Of  course  it 
was  the  missionary  who  had  driven  away  the 
fish  (they  were  all  gone).  There  were  still 
many  of  the  fish  left  over  undressed  from 
the  day  before,  and  soon  the  camp  pre- 
sented as  lively  an  appearance  as  on  that 
day.  They  were  angry  about  the  fish,  so 
they  set  about  work  that  they  would  not 
think  of  doing  at  home,  building  their 
drying-booths,  whittling  fish-sticks,  clean- 
ing fish,  etc. 

My  husband  had  hoisted  the  flag  at  wor- 
ship-time on  Saturday  evening,  and  at 
church-time  on  Sabbath  morning-  we  took 
our  seats  on  the  rock  beneath  it  and  sadly 
looked  on  at  the  busy  hands  and  sullen 


LIFF.    IN  ALASKA. 


20() 


faces  of  the  iiiultitude  below.  A  few  of  thf; 
school-children,  who  were  allowed  to  do  ho, 
washed  the  black  paint  from  their  faces  and 
came  to  us.  We  then  went  down  and  made 
our  way  throui^di  the  busy  crowds  of  jxrople 
to  their  very  midst,  and  Mr.  Willard,  taking  a 
tin  pan,  drummed  for  them  to  stop  work.  A 
few  did  so  and  gathered  closer  around  us, 
while  the  others  could  not  but  hear  as  thifry 
wc  ked ;  others  came  to  the  afternoon  ser- 


VlCv 


After  church  I  noticed  that  my  littlti  In- 
rlian  girl  had  been  set  to  work  on  the  fish, 
I  knew  that,  child  as  she  was,  she  was  work- 
ing against  her  conscience,  and  I  called  hcrr 
to  come  to  me.  I  was  impressed  with  the 
idea  that  if  we  saved  her  at  all  from  the 
people,  now  was  the  time  for  the  decisive 
step,  and  after  consulting  together  we  de- 
cided to  take  her  at  once.  Her  people 
were  only  too  glad  to  have  the  burden  of 
her  support  lifted  from  their  shoulders ;  so 
on  Monday  we  brought  honie  with  us  the 
filthy,  half-naked  little  child,  whom  I  put 
into  a  tub  of  warm  water  and  scrubbed  to 
entirety  with  brush  and  carbolic  soap;  then, 

14 


210 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


braidingr  her  loni^  soft  hair,  I  pu*^  her  first 
into  a  clean  nig^htdress,  then,  for  the  first 
time  in  her  Hfe,  into  a  good  clean  bed.  The 
little  heart  grew  very  tender  in  the  opera- 
tion, and  I  trust  that  God  enabled  me  to 
take  proper  advantage  of  it;  and  when  I 
left  her,  after  a  bedtime  talk  and  prayer 
and  a  good- night  kiss,  I  could  not  but  trust 
that  the  good  T^ather  had  planned  a  noble 
future  for  the  little  one  whom  he  seemed  to 
have  given  to  us.  During  the  week,  though 
it  had  seemed  so  full  before  that  I  could 
not  possibly  get  anything  more  into  it,  I 
manaored  to  make  her  an  entire  suit — un- 
derclothes,  skirt-dress  and  shoes  (from  deer- 
skin) and  stockings.  She  has  gone  all  win- 
ter with  nothing  on  her  body  except  a  little 
ragged  cotton  slip  and  but  half  fed,  and  she 
is  only  one  of  the  many  bright  little  girls 
here  whom  I  am  besouofht  to  take  into  our 
home,  and  for  whom  my  heart  longs  and 
aches.  But  this  poor  weak  body  of  mine  ! 
Oh,  Mrs.  Haines,  we  must  have  a  home 
here.  God  will  provide  it,  for  these  chil- 
dren must  be  saved,  and  it  cannot  be  done 
in  their  hom(,'less  homes.    It  has  been  grow- 


LIFE   /iV  /ii.ASKA. 


211 


ing  upon  us  ever  since  we  came  here,  but 
each  day  the  necessity  is  more  apparent, 
each  day  the  burden  is  heavier  on  our 
hearts.  I  did  not  speak  to  you  of  it  be- 
fore, because  I  knew  that  the  Board  was 
burdened  with  work  still  unprovided  for. 
I  have  had  dozens  of  boys  and  girls,  of  the 
best  and  brightest  of  our  children,  brought 
to  me  by  their  parents,  who  begged  me 
to  take  them  and  teach  them  better  things 
than  they  themselves  could.  .  .  . 

Carrie  M.  Willard. 


CuiLfAr  Mission, 

Haines,  Alaska,  April  14,  1882. 

Dear  Dr.  Jackson:  If  Mr.  De  Groff 
cannot  succeei  in  sending  by  canoe  my 
things  that  are  now  in  the  warehouse  at 
Juneau,  I  will  (ry  and  go  down  myself  to 
bring  them.  The  Favorite  brought  only 
flour  enough  for  the  trader,  and  no  pota- 
toes at  all,  no  bacon  or  other  supplies. 
Moreover,  the  boat  will  not  return  before 
fall.  .  .  . 

We  have  had  Indian  Lot,  of  Fort  Wran- 
gell,  with  us  for  neiiHv  a  week.     We  were 


212 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


glad  to  have  some  one  whom  we  could 
call  on  to  speak  and  to  lead  in  prayer.  He 
intends  to  go  below  on  Monday.  I  bought 
from  him  about  one  bushel  of  potatoes  for 
five  dollars.  .  .  . 

Chief  Shat-e-ritch  sends  to  his  son  at 
Forest  Grove  a  letter,  in  which  he  says, 
"  We  are  so  far  from  the  mission  that  we 
do  not  go  every  day  to  church,  but  we  will 
go  in  the  summer.  Ler.rn  all  you  can.  I 
do  not  want  you  to  learn  only  one  haK. 
learn  all.  When  you  are  in  the  school, 
don't  play,  but  study."  .  .  . 

You  will  probably  remember  the  deaf- 
and-dumb  boy  whom  you  hired  to  work 
on  the  house  ?  W^e  have  discovered  that 
by  putting  my  watch  in  his  mouth  he  can 
hear  the  singing.  He  never  is  absent  from 
church  or  prayer-meeting.  I  have  thought 
that  perhaps  some  Christian  at  home  would 
like  to  give  him  an  opportunity  of  hearing 
the  words  of  life  by  providing  him  with  a 
dentaphone. 

Among  our  people  there  are  three  deaf 
persons  who  can  all  hear  a  loud  sound, 
though  it  is  impossible  to  hold  a  conv^r- 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


213 


sation  with  them :  there  is  but  one  who 
cannot  speak. 

May  9, — I  have  had  several  talks  with 
different  Indians  about  taking  mail  to  Ju- 
neau. They  will  not  go  for  less  than  thirty 
dollars  per  month  ;  some  want  forty.  They 
say  they  will  need  a  large  Hydah  canoe  and 
have  at  least  three  men  in  it.  If  there  is 
any  kind  of  a  sea  on,  they  cannot  move 
with  the  canoes.  .  .  . 

May  12. — I  did  not  succeed  in  sending 
the  mail,  as  I  had  expected,  though  it  got 
as  far  as  the  middle  of  the  bay,  when  the 
Indians  said  that  some  of  the  letters  were 
sent  to  the  storekeepers  to  tell  them  what 
the  prices  of  skins  were ;  so  back  came  the 
mail.  But  this  afternoon  the  Favorite  blew 
her  whistle  in  our  harbor,  and  by  her  I  can 
send  to  Sitka.  She  did  not  stop  at  juneau ; 
therefore  our  mail  is  not  here  and  our 
freight  is  still  in  their  warehouse. 

My  traveling  has  commenced,  as  the 
Indians  are  away  fishing.  On  the  30th  of 
April  we  camped  among  the  Indians,  about 
ten  miles  down  the  coast.  There  was  at 
that  time  a  depth  of  four  or  five  feet  of 


214 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


snow  on  the  ground ;  at  present  there  is 
about  one  foot.  I  used  a  tin  pan  for  a 
bell  and  a  fine  gravel-beach  for  a  meet- 
ing-house. Don-a-wok's  canoe  and  tent 
were  secured ;  so  we  were  comparatively 
comfortable. 

I  would  like  to  go  up  the  Dy-ya  Inlet, 
where  all  the  people  of  the  village  are 
fishing,  but  have  no  way  of  getting  there. 
I  do  not  like  these  ii^ood-for-nothinir  ca- 
noes:  you  must  sit  just  so,  look  just  so 
and  breathe  just  so,  or  over  they  go.  .  .  . 

I  was  visited  the  other  evening  by  the 
old  Crow  chief  who  gave  us  the  house  at 
the  upper  village.  He  said  he  wanted  me 
to  take  his  words  and  send  them  to  the 
officers,  telling  them  to  have  pity  on  those 
who  want  to  live  in  peace,  and  who  do  not 
want  to  see  their  friends  fiorhtin<if  amoncr 
themselves,  adding,  "And  do  not  let  the 
people  buy  molasses,  for  it  is  no  good." 
He  then  told  me  that  a  Sitka  Indian  had 
taken  to  the  upper  village  one  large  barrel 
of  molasses  and  two  small  ones.  He  want- 
ed me  to  help  him ;  he  wants  the  children 
taught,  so  that  they  will  not  grow  up  as  the 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


215 


people  now  are — '*  all  bad."  He  said,  "  The 
men  drink,  the  women  drink,  the  children 
drink,  the  babies  drink."  Another  man 
said  to  me,  **  I  don't  understand  why  all 
people  don't  talk  the  same  language."  He 
wanted  to  learn  to  be  a  Christian.  .  .  . 

May  24. — I  have  never  before  appreci- 
ated our  utter  helplessness.  Mrs.  Willard 
has  been  sick  for  two  weeks,  with  medicines 
no  nearer  than  Juneau.  .  .  . 

The  native  teachers,  Louis  and  Tillie,  for 
the  upper  village,  have  been  with  us  one 
week.  We  were  unable  to  procure  a  ca- 
noe to  take  them  up  the  river  to  their 
station,  as  all  the  Indians  are  away  fish- 
ing. We  were  glad  to  welcome  them,  and 
took  them  into  our  house,  at  the  same  time 
telling  them  we  could  not  do  for  them  as 
we  would  if  Mrs.  Willard  were  well,  and 
that  until  she  was  able  to  walk  they  should 
take  our  stove  and  our  stores  as  their  own 
and  help  themselves. 

Mrs.  Willard's  sickness  was  of  such  a 
dangerous  character  as  to  require  the  most 
constant  attention  day  and  night;  but  I 
hope   a   turning-point    has    been    reached 


2l6 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


\ 


and  that  she  will  soon  be  in  her  usual 
health. 

We  have  had  fine  weather  for  weeks 
back,  and  now  the  snow  has  gone.  We 
have  radishes,  onions,  lettuce,  beets,  cab- 
bage and  tomato-plants  growing  in  boxes, 
waitinof  until  I  can  o-et  the  orround  broken. 
I  hope  to  have  plenty  of  vegetables  for 
next  year. 

I  have  concluded  to  build  a  small  loo 
house  for  the  teachers  at  the  upper  village, 
for  the  following  reasons:  i.  Increasing 
complications  in  regard  to  the  ownership 
and  disposal  of  the  proffered  Indian  house, 
and  on  this  account  the  inadvisability  of 
putting  much  expense  on  it ;  2.  There  is 
no  lumber  here  to  fix  it  with ;  3.  Louis  be- 
ing able  to  get  out  shakes  for  a  roof,  I  will 
be  enabled  to  build  a  comfortable  log 
dwelling  at  less  expense.  .  .  . 

ytme  1. — Again  we  were  favored  by  the 
arrival  of  a  small  canoe  from  Juneau,  bring- 
ing some  of  our  letters.  We  were  rejoiced 
to  see  your  letter,  as  we  always  are.  .  .  . 

We  were  enabled  to  send  Louis  and  Til- 
lie  to  the  upper  village  on  Saturday.    They 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


217 


will  fix  themselves  up  as  comfortably  as 
possible  in  the  larg^e  house  until  I  can  get 
some  way  to  send  them  more  comfortable 
things.  Having  left  their  small  cook-stove 
at  Juneau,  they  must  camp  until  it  is  sent 
up.  I  told  Louis  to  start  a  garden,  and 
while  his  food  is  growing  he  can  work  at 
the  house. 

Our  people  are  still  fishing,  and  we  have 
but  two  scholars — one  the  faithful  Willis. 
It  will  not  be  long,  however,  before  the 
children  will  return,  as  the  small  fish  are 
leaving. 

No,  we  have  not  been  burned  out  nor 
removed  by  a  tornado ;  we  have  been 
slightly  rocked  by  an  earthquake.  It  only 
made  the  windows  ratde  a  litde.  The  house 
was  slightly  jarred  by  the  breaking  of  a 
glacier  on  what  is  called  the  Shooting 
Mountain,  on  the  Chilcat  side,  a  little 
above  the  Davidson  glacier.  .  .  . 

Jtme  11,  1883. — I  am  unable  to  finish  as 
I  wanted  to  do.  A  canoe  goes  to  Juneau 
to-day.  I  can  manage  to  get  from  one 
room  to  another,  and  that  is  about  all  I  can 
do ;  I  have  now  been  sick  for  a  litde  over 


2l8 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


a  week.  My  right  hand  and  arm  are  swol- 
len to  twice  the  natural  size.  Mrs.  Willard 
is  a  little  better. 

Your  brother  in  Christ, 

Eugene  S.  Willard. 


Cmilcat  Mission  Manse, 

Haines,  Alaska,  June  29,  18S2. 

Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson,  D.  D. — 

Dear  Brother  :  We  are  still  prisoners, 
but  I  rejoice  to  say  that  I  have  the  use  of 
my  hands — at  least,  for  a  little  while  at  a 
time — and  my  husband  can  walk,  though 
slowly  and  feebly.  It  has  been  indeed  a 
dark  time ;  for  many  days  we  thought  the 
end  had  come  for  us.  Before  I  was  able 
to  move  myself  Mr.  Willard  hurt  his  hand 
digging  in  the  garden  ;  it  at  once  took  such 
a  malignant  form  that  it  seemed  beyond  all 
human  means — at  least,  in  this  country — to 
save  his  life ;  we  gave  up  hope,  but  not  ef- 
fort, faith  and  prayer,  and  God  blessed  us. 
While  we  both  lay  prostrate  our  only  aid'^' 
— the  !ittle  ten-year-old   Indian    girl — was 

*  The  whole  family  were  dying  for  want  of  suitable  food,  and 
were  soon  after  rescued  by  a  steamer  sent  from  Sitka  for  their 
relief. 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


219 


taken  with  scarlet-fever,  and  in  a  few  days 
after  our  baby  Carrie  also.  To  save  her 
life  we  had  to  exert  all  our  strength  and 
skill.  My  arms  were  made  strong  to  hold, 
bathe  and  pack  her;  her  father  drew  us 
with  one  hand  from  the  bed  to  the  stove 
on  a  rockin<if-chair.  We  had  been  unable 
to  get  ourselves  any  warm,  good  food  for 
so  long  that  I  think  we  should  at  last  have 
perished  all  together  with  exhaustion  if 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dickinson  had  not  come  to 
our  aid  and  offered  us  Jack  long  enough  to 
cook  us  something  each  day ;  and  when  he 
left  them  and  us  after  a  few  days,  Mr.  Dick- 
inson very  kindly  finished  the  week  cook- 
ing for  us  himself.  The  children  are  both 
nearly  well  now,  and  we  are  all  gaining. 
Mr.  Willard  had  intended  going  to  the 
upper  village  to-day,  taking  a  man  with  him 
to  dress  his  hand  and  cook  for  him — for  he 
is  desperate — but  Louis  and  Tillie  came 
down  to-day,  very  blue  and  homesick,  I 
fear,  though  they  are  very  well  and  have  had 
plenty  to  do.  Their  school  even  now  num- 
bers between  fifty  and  sixty ;  they  have  put 
in  a  garden,  and  Mr.  Willard  had  told  Louis 


220 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


to  get  out  his  shingles  and  logs  as  fast  as 
he  could,  but  of  this  latter  work  I  believe 
he  has  done  nothing.  The  Indians  have 
taken  possession  of  the  large  house  given 
to  the  mission,  and  are  going  to  tear  it  en- 
tirely down  to  build  up  new  as  a  monument 
to  the  dead.  Shat-e-ritch  has  told  us  re- 
peatedly that  it  will  then  be  the  mission 
house,  but  it  seems  that  he  has  nothing 
whatever  to  say  about  it,  and  the  other 
Indians  say  that  when  it  is  finished  they 
will  have  rent  for  it. 

But  how  are  we  to  get  anything  from 
Juneau  ?  We  must  have  a  boat  of  our 
own.  We  have  had  no  freight  since  last 
fall,  except  our  piano.  The  Favorite 
brought  us  not  even  a  letter  last  time. 
Our  potatoes  and  other  provisions  have 
been  lying  so  long  in  the  warehouse  there 
that  I  suppose  by  this  time  they  are  past 
use,  while  we  suffer  for  want  of  them  and 
pay  high  rates  of  storage.  It  drives  my  hus- 
band almost  wild,  especially  since  he  can- 
not work.  He  paces  the  floor,  and  I  scarce- 
ly know  whether  he  has  greater  distress 
of  mind  or  body.     He  says  he  "  may  as 


UFR   IN  ALASKA. 


221 


well  be  locked  up  in  a  box."  But  "  No, 
no !"  I  <^ell  him  ;  "  it  is  not  so  bad,  because 
we  are  free  to  teach  Christ  to  these  people. 
They  cannot  shut  our  mouths  as  long  as 
the  spirit  is  kept  in  our  bodies,  and  you 
know  we  expected  trials."  We  have  not 
been  able  to  get  a  canoe  at  any  price,  even 
when  we  were  dying,  as  we  thought,  for 
medicine,  which  might  have  been  had  only 
seventy-five  miles  away.  Fish  in  their  sea- 
son are  more  to  the  Indians  than  anything 
else,  and  all  are  using  their  boats.  We 
feel  a  good  deal  "  cast  down,"  you  see,  but 
oh,  "  not  in  despair."  God  will  take  care 
of  his  work  here  ;  we  are  sure  of  that.  We 
are  not  necessary  to  its  success.  If  we 
should  not  be  spared  to  do  it,  I  will  believe 
that  it  Is  because  some  one  else  can  carry 
it  on  better;  but  oh  how  I  thank  him  for 
the  privilege  of  doing  at  least  one  year's 
hard  work  in  Chilcat !  I  want  to  tell  you 
that  I  do  feel  sometimes  as  though  my 
course  were  almost  run.  If  it  should  be 
and  I  am  not  permitted  to  write  you  again, 
I  want  to  give  you  these  words :  Please  do 
not  feel,  nor  allow  the  Board  to  feel  that 


222 


l.H'E   IN  ALASKA. 


they  made  a  mistake  in  sending  us,  even 
though  it  was  but  for  a  year  or  two.  God 
sent  us  here,  and  when  he  calls  us  away 
our  special  work  will  be  done,  however 
imperfectly.  Oh  how  my  heart  yearns 
over  this  people  that  God  will  send  his 
Spirit  among  them  mightily  and  establish 
his  work !  Would  that  I  might  see  the 
church  and  Home  here,  and,  more  than 
all,  some  fruit  of  souls  saved !  but  I  know 
that  all  will  be  well. 

Though  our  path  has  led  toward  the 
valley  of  shadows,  yet  the  days  have  been 
long  and  bright.  On  the  21st  of  June  the 
sun  rose  at  quarter  of  three  a.  m.,  setting 
at  quarter  after  nine  p.  m.  Of  course  the 
darkest  hour  was  only  like  early  twilight ; 
so  that  ''  even  the  night  is  light  about  us." 

Carrie  M.  Willard. 


To  the  Presbyteriaii  Sabbath-School  of  East 
Spvijigfield,  New  York. 

Chii.cat  Mission, 

Haines,  Alaska,  July  i8,  1882. 

My  Dear  Friends:    Since  last  quarter 
God   has    been    giving    us   very   different 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


223 


work  from  that  of  previous  tiiiK^s,  calling 
us  to  bear  instead  of  to  do,  and  I  hav<^  bc'<;n 
wonderint^  whether  or  not  I  should  V'X  you 
see  the  missionary's  cloudhuid  as  well  as 
his  castles. 

You  know  Jesus  said,  "  Take  up  your 
cross  and  follow  me."  We  did  not  leave 
ours  in  Pennsylvania  when  we  cam<i  as 
missionaries  to  this  remote  place,  whcrn; 
there  are  neither  doctors,  nurses  nor  wn'A- 
icines.  We  have  all  been  very  sick,  near 
unto  d(;ath ;  and  down  amoni^  those  shad- 
cnvs  where  my  husband,  little  Carrie  and 
myself  traveled  together,  yet  apart,  true 
and  precious  to  us  proved  the  Master's 
wcjrds,  '*  I  am  with  you  "  and  "  My  grace  is 
sufficient  for  you." 

If  I  am  unable  to  send  you  a  full  and 
satisfactory  letter  this  time,  you  will  now 
understand  why,  and  excuse  me.  I  have 
not  gained  good  physical  strength,  an<I  my 
husband  is  entirely  disabled  from  wntinj(, 
or  in  any  way  using  his  right  hand.  It  ?iti!l 
requires  much  attention  and  is  painful.  ,  .  , 

Our  people,  so  impatient  of  the  long  win- 
ter and  really  needing  food,  lost  ncj  time  in 


224 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


getting  to  their  old  haunts  as  soon  as  the 
small  fish  began  to  run,  in  April.  We  had 
long  hoped  to  be  the  possessors  of  some 
sort  of  a  boat  in  time  to  enabH  us  to  be- 
gin touring  when  the  people  did.  This 
hope  not  being  realized,  we  were  fortunate 
enough  to  secure  passage  on  the  last  Sat- 
urday in  April  in  Chief  Don-a-wok's  canoe, 
bound  for  Nauk  Bay,  whither  the  people 
had  gone  that  week  for  herring.  Leaving 
here,  j;3  we  did,  with  the  ground  still  cov- 
ered with  snow  and  no  sign  of  spring, 
we  were  a  little  surprised  to  find  there 
not  more  than  a  foot  of  snow,  and  in  many 
places  none  at  all,  but  little  tiny  wild  plants 
and  blossoms  orrowincr.  I  wish  I  could  show 
you  just  how  beautiful  it  looked.  We  came 
first  11  nop  the  little  bay  where  the  people 
were  tented  near  the  shore  in  booths  made 
of  fir-  and  spruce-boughs,  with  here  and 
there  a  sail-cloth  hung  in  fantastic  fashion. 
More  important  to  the  Indians  than  these 
were  the  fish-booths,  or  frames,  upon  which 
were  already  hanging  the  herring  by  hun- 
dreds of  dozens,  drying  in  the  sun.  These 
were  erected  upon  the  verge  of  the  dark- 


LITE   IN  ALASKA. 


22; 


green  wood,  above  and  beyond  which  rose 
the  snow-topped  mountauis,  while  imme- 
diately in  front  sloped  the  clean  gravel- 
beach  to  the  glassy  surface,  that  was  fiirly 
alive  with  canoes. 

This  little  nook  one  comes  upon  very 
suddenly,  so  hidden  is  it  in  approaching  by 
high,  precipitous  rocks  covered  with  '\  wild 
growth  of  pine.  Here  on  the  rocks,  among 
the  siirhinof  trees  and  overhanofinof  the  busy 
camp  on  the  beach,  we  pitched  our  mission 
tent,  intent  on  fishing  too — for  souls. 

As  we  entered  the  bay  it  lay  in  pro- 
found silence  except  for  the  splashing  of 
the  waterfalls  among  the  rocke-,  the  dip- 
ping of  our  own  paddles,  the  startled  cry 
of  eai^les  and  the  constant  screech  of  sea- 
lifulls,  the  number  of  which  I  have  never 
seen  equaled  elsewhere.  They  filled  the 
air  and  covered  the  water  like  monstrous 
flakes  in  a  heavy  snow-storm.  .  .  . 

This  has  been  our  only  Sabbath  out  in 
all  this  summer  so  far,  for  after  that  Don- 
a-wok did  not  come  back,  and  there  was 
neither  boat  nor  man  to  be  hired  on  any 
terms.      Soon   after,   our   native    teachers, 


16 


226 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


Tillie  Paul  and  her  husband,  Louis,  from 
the  McFarland  Home,  at  Fort  Wrangell, 
came  to  take  charge  of  a  school  m  the 
upper  village.  We  were  anxious  to  get 
the  work  started  there,  particukirly  as  Mr. 
Willard  had  decided  to  put  thern  up  a  log 
house,  in  which  they  might  be  independent 
of  the  people  and  more  secure  in  case  of 
further  hoochinoo  trouble  ;  but  here  came 
in  our  boat-trouble  again.  With  so  much 
to  be  done  al.l  over  our  field,  we  were  tied 
hand  and  foot  for  weeks.  When  passage 
was  found  for  our  teachers,  the  small 
amount  of  lumber  we  had  to  put  into  the 
house  was  still  obliged  to  wait,  and  has 
done  so  until  to-day,  when  a  volunteer 
canoe  has  come  from  the  upper  village 
to  take  it,  and  to-morrow  my  husband 
expects  to  go  up  with  it  and  get  the  build- 
ing under  way. 

The  people  have  treated  the  new  teach- 
ers very  kindly,  furnishing  them,  free  of 
charge,  all  the  fish  they  could  use,  and 
giving  them  two  barrels  in  which  to  pack 
salted  fish  for  winter  use,  besides  many 
other   favors,   saying   they   will    not    allow 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


227 


the  teachers  to  starve  as  the  minister  has 
to  do  down  here, 

A  good  school  has  been  started  with 
from  sixty  to  seventy  scholars  even  in  this 

sy  time.  Mr.  Willard  expects  to  visit  it 
c^.nd  preach  once  a  month ;  lie  would  have 
done  so  even  if  he  had  had  to  climb  the 
trackless  mountains,  I  believe,  had  it  not 
been  for  our  long  illness.  .  .  . 

We  have  had  word  from  our  secretary, 
Mrs.  F.  E.  H.  Haines,  that  a  white  lady- 
teacher  will  be  sent  us  some  time  durinir  this 
summer.  We  are  so  happy  in  anticipation  ! 
but  ho.'/  ^he  is  to  reach  here  we  cannot 
tell.  ■'.'.  pray  God  to  take  care  of  her 
and  iji.i  ,  ..er  safely  through  all  the  wild 
perils  of  uk:  way. 

Now  I  must  speak  of  that  dear  project 
of  mine  mentioned  in  a  former  letier — a 
Home  for  our  Chilcat  children  I  wish  I 
could  tell  you  that  it  is  begun,  or  that  we 
had  '•'•  en  five  dollars  in  hand  to  pay  for 
tvven:)  iCgs,  and  we  should  order  them  to- 
night, for  many  of  the  men  are  now  free  for 
a  litde  while.  We  dare  not  go  on  without 
the  money  to  pay  for  each  day's  work  as 


228 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


soon  as  it  is  done,  and  the  Indians  want  it 
in  silver,  which  is  almost  impossible  to  ob- 
tain here.  It  covUl  be  sent  us,  however, 
by  our  friends,  in  ■  tered  packages,  by 
mail,  and  should  be  jewed  up  in  strong- 
bags  covered  with  paper. 

Some  time  a^jo  we  received  a  letter 
which  gave  us  some  of  the  most  thankful 
joy  we  ever  knew.  It  told  us  that  the 
ladies  of  your  church  had  devoted  a  gift 
to  the  Home.  It  was  the  earnest  of  God's 
blessing  upon  our  effort  to  build  up  such  a 
Home,  and  we  thanked  him  for  the  whole 
irift,  because  we  knew  it  was  sure  to  come. 
We  had  thought  of  starting  the  boys'  de- 
partment first,  because  that  could  be  soon- 
est made  self-supporting;  but  with  that  wel- 
come letter  from  you  came  another  also, 
from  a  personal  friend  long  unheard  from, 
who  proposed  to  support  a  girl  in  our 
Home,  laboring  under  the  impression  that 
we  were  in  charge  of  one  similar  to  that 
at  Fort  Wrangell.  The  money  had  already 
been  forwarded  to  the  Board  for  one  year's 
support.  Another  letter  came  from  anoth- 
er State,  to   the  same  effect,  and  also  in- 


I 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


229 


forminij^  us  tliat  the  McFarland  Home  was 
too  full  to  admit  anv  more.  This  all  seemed 
to  us  plain  providence  ;  forty  dollars  toward 
the  Home  and  the  support  of  the  two  girls 
already  paid  into  the  treasury.  We  could 
not  do  as  well  for  the  boys  this  y  "!ar ;  a 
larger  guarantee  would  be  necessary  for  a 
beginning  there.  It  was  not  quite  so  plain 
how  we  should  take  care  of  the  children 
until  the  plan  would  develop  enough  to 
enable  us  to  employ  a  matron  ;  but  God 
irave  us  a  thouQ-ht  for  that,  and  we  deter- 
mined  to  iiet  loofs  and  what  shinoles  we 
could  with  the  Springfield  money ;  and  if 
no  more  came,  we  could  take  out  some  of 
our  own  windows  for  this  year,  and  build  a 
good  log  house  of  four  rooms,  which  in  the 
future  would  be  but  a  wing  of  the  great 
Home.  As  to  fitting  it  up,  although  we 
have  but  little,  we  would  gladly  give  the 
use  of  such  things  as  we  have  until  means 
are  provided  for  the  purchase  of  more  for 
the  Home. 

This  decided  upon,  I  sat  down  and  wrote 
the  whole  plan  to  Mrs.  Haines,  asking  if 
she  could  send  us  a  teacher  with  sufficient 


230 


LIFE    IN  ALASKA. 


consecration  and  physical  strength  to  take 
charge  of  the  few  girls  whose  support  should 
be  secured  for  this  year;  so  we  are  waiting 
and  praying.  Of  all  things,  I  should  love 
to  take  the  care  of  these  children  myself, 
but  I  have  already  the  work  of  three  per- 
sons, with  only  the  strength  of  one  wee 
bit  of  a  woman  ;  but  we  hope  to  be  all  one 
in  the  good  work,  and  helpfully  and  loving- 
ly work  together  for  good.  If  we  could 
only  begin  !  It  is  so  important  it  should 
be  soon,  not  only  that  all  may  be  in  readi- 
ness before  the  setting  in  of  our  early  win- 
ter, but  because  time  means  life,  purity  and 
salvation  to  these  girls.  One  of  our  best 
and  most  earnest  girls  in  seeking  truth  has 
been  shut  up  in  a  little  dark  hole  these  three 
months.  If  we  could  promise  to  provide 
entirely  for  her,  I  do  not  know  but  that 
her  parents  would  give  her  up  to  us, 
though  their  custom  requires  her  to  be 
kept  in  that  dark  solitude  for  two  years. 
The  interior  country  promises  much  in 
gold.  The  excitement  on  the  coast  and  in 
all  the  mining  region  of  the  territory  is,  we 
are    told,   becoming  intense,   and  there    is 


LIFE   IN  AhASKA. 


231 


prophesied  a  j^reat  rush  very  soon,  with 
our  mission  station  as  the  centre.  A  par- 
ty of  ten  miners  from  Arizona  passed  in 
a  week  a<^o.  They  make  nineteen  who  are 
connected ;  the  others  have  been  in  the  in- 
terior a  year.  We  hear  that  a  company  is 
coming  up  from  Juneau,  and  that  a  boat  is 
being-  fitted  out  at  San  Francisco  and  go- 
ing around  to  meet  these  nineteen  on  the 
head-waters  of  the  Yukon.  That  river  is 
navicrable  from  its  mouth  to  within  sev- 
enty-five  miles  of  us.  .  .  . 

Oh  that  we  had  seen  the  Home  started 
first!  .  .  .  Cakkie  M.  Willard. 


"p. 


SnKLDON  Jackson  Institute, 

Sitka,  Alaska,  August  14,  1882. 

My  Dear  Parknts:  Of  course  you  won- 
der how  and  why  we  are  here.  It  would 
be  impossible  for  }0u  to  realize  why,  for 
you  could  not  understand  what  our  necessi- 
ties and  our  sufferings  have  been  ;  and  I  am 
so  glad  that  you  cannot!  There  seemed 
to  be  no  help  on  the  earth,  and,  though 
we  cried,  the  heavens  schemed  brass ;  but, 
thank  God !  we  wen.'  able  to  say,  though 


232 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA, 


it  was  with  blind,  luiiiib  hearts,  "Though 
he  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  him." 

When  I  thought  our  little  Carrie  might 
be  left  alone,  I  wrote  a  note  to  Mrs.  Austin 
asking  her  to  keep  our  baby,  if  need  should 
be,  until  she  could  be  taken  to  you.  Hei 
great,  loving  mother-heart  was  roused  at 
once,  and  sleeplessly  and  prayerfully  she 
sought  how  she  might  help  us.  At  last, 
with  Mr.  Brady,  they  succeedc^d  in  getting 
the  Rose,  which  belongs  to  Mr.  Brady's 
partners,  to  run  up  to  Chilcat  to  carry  our 
freight  and  bring  us  down,  we  paying  the 
bare  running  expenses  of  the  vessel — one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars.  Mr. 
Brady  and  Mrs,  Austin  came  and  man- 
aged everything — put  our  goods  in,  packed 
our  trunks  and  made  it  possible  for  us  to 
come.  As  '.t  was,  even  with  the  greatest  care 
and  providentially  fine  weather,  it  seemed 
as  though  we  should  hardly  reach  Sitka 
alive ;  but  here  we  are,  and  such  nursing, 
such  food  and  such  care  we  could  know 
nowhere  else  save  with  you.  We  were 
all  greatly  reduced  both  from  suffering 
and  want  of  food. 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


233 


Dear  little  Carrie  gets  all  the  milk  she 
wants  now,  and  already  her  cheeks  are 
growing  round  and  rosy,  while  I  am  dis- 
tressed only  at  what  they  oblige  me  to  eat 
of  the  meat  for  which  I  was  dying,  and  the 
beautiful  fresh  berries,  which  are  so  deli- 
cious! I  am  sure  I  shall  soon  retrain  all 
that  I  had  lost,  and  be  strong  as  ever  and 
ready  for  any  duty  that  may  be  given  to 
me.  God  is  very  good  to  us,  and  I  long 
to  be  airain  able  to  serve  him. 

Mr.  Brady  knew  nothing  about  the  bar- 
rel of  clothinof,  and,  although  it  had  been  in 
the  warehouse  since  May,  it  was  the  only 
thing  of  all  our  goods  which  they  did  not 
bring  up  on  the  Rose;  and  it  was  just  what 
we  wanted  here.  It  was  opened  the  day 
after  we  came,  and  almost  overwhelmed  us 
with  gladness.  I  cannot  tell  you  anything 
about  it  at  all,  and  you  will  never  know 
how  precious  and  timely  your  goodness 
was  till  you  all  reach  heaven.  I  wish  I  had 
the  strength  to  write  to  each  one  who  help- 
ed to  give  us  so  much  comfort  and  happi- 
ness. We  think  the  whole  contents  of  the 
barrel  perfect ;   but  I  must  wait.      We  do 


234 


I  U'E   IN  ALASKA. 


not  know  when  we  will  get  back  home  to 
Chilcat — before  many  months,  we  hope, 
though  mother  Austin  says  it  is  impossi- 
ble for  Baby  and  me  to  go  this  winter  in 
the  little  open  boat,  and  that  is  the  only 
way  nov*^  to  be  seen ;  but  the  Lord,  who 
hath  ever  been  our  helper,  will  provide 
all  things  needful.  .  .  . 

Carrie  M.  Willard. 


Shf.i.don  Jackson  Institutr, 

Sitka,  Alaska,  October  3,  1S82. 

Dear  Parents  :  The  Wachusette  will  sail 
for  San  Francisco  to-day,  having  been  re- 
lieved by  the  man-of-war  Adams.  The 
captain  of  the  latter,  as  also  of  the  former, 
is  favorable  to  missions,  and  declares  him- 
self a  friend  to  the  missionaries. 

We  arc  in  doubt  as  to  just  how  we  are 
to  return  to  our  field,  as  the  steamer  Rose 
has  met  with  an  accident,  having  run  on  a 
rock,  and  the  owners  are  in  doubt  as  to 
whether  they  will  fix  her  up  again. 

Our  little  Fred  will  be  three  weeks  old 
to-morrow  ;  he  weighed  nine  pounds.  Lit- 
tle   Carrie   is   almost   wild  with  joy   over 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


235 


her  "baby  b'lov-a  H'litz."  Slu;  kisses  us 
"Good-night"  and  goes  away  to  sleep  in 
another  room  by  herself,  happy  in  seeing 
Baby  safe  with  me.  She  is  distressed 
sometimes  lest  somebody  take  him  away. 

We  are  to  have  communion  before  Dr. 
Sheldon  Jackson  goes  back,  when  he  is  to 
baptize  little  Fred.  .  .  . 

Oh,  my  mother,  I  have  wanted  you  !  but 
the  Lord  knows  it  all,  and  he  has  been  with 
us,  and  these  dear  friends  have  shown  us 
all  loving-kindness.  Only  God  can  repay 
them. 

What  we  would  do  without  Miss  Bessie 
Matthews  now  here,  I  am  sure  I  do  not 
know.  Dear  Mrs.  Austin  has  congestion 
of  the  retina  and  is  in  great  danger  of 
ofoinof  blind.  Oh  what  she  has  done  for 
me  and  mine !  It  can  never  be  repaid  in 
this  world. 

October  14. — In  regard  to  the  publishing 
of  the  letters,  I  am  persuaded  to  permit  it. 
They  are  so  imperfect — were  often  written 
with  Baby  on  my  lap,  and  more  often  with 
the  Indians  about  me  asking  all  sorts  of 
questions — that  I  would  prefer  to  take  bits 


236 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


from  them,  addinq;  more  and  better ;  but 
they  are  wanted  soon,  and  there  will  not 
be  tune.  .  .  .  Carrik  M.  Willard. 


SiiKi.DoN  Jackson  iNsiiiurK, 

Sitka,  Alaska,  October  24,  1882. 

My  Dear  Parents:  Restinof  on  one  el- 
bow,  I  am  trying  to  write  a  little  to  send 
by  the  U.  S.  S.  Corwin  on  its  way  south 
from  the  polar  sea.  I  am  sitting  up  part 
of  the  time  now.  .  .  . 

It  does  seem  as  though  God  had  sent 
our  troubles  to  make  our  cup  larger,  and 
then  ordered  it  refilled  with  joy.  "  Not 
our  duty  to  go  back  again  to  that  dreadful 
country,"  you  say?  No,  not  till  God  opens 
the  way  to  go,  I  try  to  comfort  myself 
and  gain  patience  and  strength  for  biding 
his  time  with  the  thought  that  he  best  knows 
what  his  work  needs ;  and  when  he  sees 
us  prepared  and  our  work  necessary,  he 
will  send  a  boat  to  take  us  home.  And 
oh  how  gladly  we  will  go !  The  poor 
people  have  been  so  on  our  hearts !  they 
need  us  so  much !  You  write  of  them  as 
"dreadful  people,"  and  in  one  sense  they 


Lll'li  IN  ALASKA. 


m 


arc;  but  it  is  their  darkness,  tlKrir  Minrl- 
noss.  And  who  hath  made  us  to  <liffcrr? 
Surely,  He  whom  we  lon<^  to  show  to 
th(-m. 

October  SO. — They  are  liavin^  ^n-at  trou- 
ble in  Kill-is-noo,  about  halfway  b<rtw<ren 
here  and   Chilcat,  where   the    North-West 

idin(^  Company  have  their  chief  post, 
.->iore  and  i^reat  whale-fishery  and  oil -works, 
W'hile  they  were  puttintc  u[)  th(?  wharf  in 
the  spriniL^,  one  of  the  bullans  was  acci^lrmt- 
ally  killed  by  the  falling  of  a  tre(^  As  he 
was  in  the  company's  emplo)',  (jf  course, 
in  the  eyes  of  Indian  law,  they  were  r<;Hprm' 
sible,  and  a  payment  of  two  hundred  blank- 
ets was  demanded.  The  company  aj^recd 
to  pay  forty,  but  Captain  Merrinian,  of 
the  man-of-war  Adams,  ordered  that  no 
j)ayment  should  be  made. 

Things  have  gone  on,  until  Sabbath  lx> 
fore  last,  when  the  launch  and  whah;'l>oat 
were  out  after  a  whale,  a  harpoon -!>omb 
burst,  and  one  of  the  Indians — a  medidne- 
man — was  killed.  In  a  very  short  time 
about  three  hundred  of  the  tribe;  had 
surrounded  the  boats,  which  they  captured, 


238 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


taking  the  white  men  prisoners.  The  cap- 
tain of  the  launch  made  out  to  send  a  line 
of  advice  to  Captain  Vanderb'lt,  in  the  vil- 
lage, that  they  would  take  the  Favorite  too. 
The  note  was  carried  by  one  of  the  Indians 
^vho  had  been  in  the  boat  with  the  medi- 
cine-man and  escaped  to  the  woods  from 
his  people.  Captain  Vanderbilt  at  once 
conveyed  his  family  to  the  Favorite,  and, 
leaving  in  the  night,  ran  down  here  for  the 
man-of-war.  Arriving  the  next  evening,  he 
I'  ft  his  family  and  started  back  at  twelve 
o'clock  the  same  night,  accompanied  by  the 
Corwin,  in  charge  of  Captain  Merriman  and 
his  force.  Four  hundred  blankets  were  de- 
manded for  taking  die  whites  prisoners. 
The  Indians  said  they  would  not  pay.  The 
captain  gave  the  people  two  hours  to  re- 
move their  things,  th^m  commanded  the 
guns  to  fire ;  and  away  went  the  village, 
all  but  four  houses  which  he  wished  saved; 
fo^ty  canoes  were  broken.  He  said  "  if  he 
was  called  there  to  settle  any  more  such 
troubles  there  would  not  be  a  man  left  to 
tell  there  ever  was  such  a  tribe."  The 
effect  of  thij  on  our  people  will  be  of  the 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


239 


Utmost  moment  to  us  ;  but  the  Lord  is  God 
and  will  care  for  his  own  work. 

Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson  was  here  four  weeks, 
and  in  that  time  they  had  the  immense 
Home-buildinor  almost  under  roof.  It  is 
a  solid  buildinor  of  one  hundred  by  fifty 
feet,  in  a  beautiful  location.  On  the  Sab- 
bath before  he  left  we  had  our  first  com- 
munion sin  e  leavinn^  home,  and  he  bap- 
tized our  precious  baby  "  Frederick  Eugene 
Austin."  It  seemed  to  me  that  I  had  hard- 
ly known  the  meaning  of  communion  be- 
fore. Here,  in  the  uttermost  end  of  the 
earth,  a  handful  of  believers,  in  a  little 
upper  room,  had  sweet  fellowship  with 
God  and  with  his  children  throuofhout  the 
world.  .  .  .  Carrie  M.  Willard. 


SHKi.noN  Jackson  Institi  pk, 

Sitka,  Alaska,  November  22,  1882. 

Dear  Parents:  I  sent  you  word  by  the 
last  mail  of  our  littk;  Carrie's  illness,  be- 
cause we  had  no  reason  to  hope  that  we 
should  not  have  the  sadder  news  to  tell 
you  this  time,  and  I  thought  it  would  be 
such  a  shock.     For  several  days  the  doc- 


240 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


I 


tor  gave  us  no  hope,  but  God  has  been 
most  merciful  to  us :  she  is  slowly  getting 
well.  She  is  not  yet  able  to  walk  and  is 
still  very  thin  and  white,  but  living  and 
evidently  getting  well. 

I  had  only  begun  to  sit  up  for  a  few 
minutes  at  a  time  when  she  was  taken  so 
suddenly  and  dangerously  ill.  The  doctor, 
who  had  most  providentially  been  sent  here 
just  a  few  days  before,  was  very  attentive. 
Two  others  were  here  temporarily  on  the 
government  vessels,  and  with  them  he  con- 
*  suited  several  times.  As  it  seemed,  she 
would  surely  have  died  without  this  aid ; 
but,  you  see,  God  gave  all  that  was  neces- 
sary, and  oh  how  our  hearts  go  out  to  him 
for  all  his  loving-kindness  ! 

As  to  our  going  back  to  Chilcat,  we  feel 
very  certain  that  our  work  is  there  ;  and 
surely  God  has  most  signally  revealed  his 
strong  arm  in  our  behalf.  Has  he  not  kept 
us  through  everything?  It  is  not  at  all 
probable  that  we  shall  ever  again  be  ex- 
posed to  the  trials  and  sufferings  which 
we  have  endured;  at  any  rate,  God  is  able 
to  bring   us  through.      We   will    be  very 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


241 


happy  to  go  back  when  he  opens  the  way 
for  us. 

The  hardest  thing  about  it  is  in  regard 
to  food  for  the  children.  Of  course,  there 
we  have  no  fresh  meat,  eggs  or  milk. 
Baby  Fred  is  doing  well  on  this  cow's 
good  milk ;  I  do  not  like  the  thought  of 
taking  it  from  him,  but  he  is  such  a  strong, 
healthy  little  fellow  he  will  not  miss  it  as 
much  as  will  his  little  sister.  We  have 
sent  for  imperial  granum  and  Ridge's  ba^'V- 
food,  and  Mr.  Willard  will  try  to  have  ven- 
ison sent  from  Juneau  through  the  winter. 

Haines  is  just  being  made  a  post-office, 
through  the  efforts  of  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson, 
and  Mr.  Willard  is  to  be  postmaster  ;  so 
we  shall  likely  have  a  mail  every  month, 
and  after  we  ijet  our  steam-launch  thin<rs 
will  be  very  different.  We  do  appreciate 
your  efforts  to  gain  that  for  us,  and  thank 
you  so  much ! 

Another  of  God's  great  mercies  to  us 
was  his  sending  dear  Bessie  Matthews  just 
when  he  did.  She  has  been  everything  in 
this  household. 

Mrs.  Ausdn  has  almost  lost  the  use  of 

16 


242 


LIFE    IN  ALASKA. 


her  eyes.  For  more  than  a  month  the  doc- 
tor has  not  allowed  her  to  do  anything,  and 
Miss  Matthews  has  been  both  hands  and 
eyes  to  her,  besides  sharing  in  the  nursing. 
Of  all  the  unselfish  people  I  have  known, 
my  mother,  Mrs.  Austin  and  Bessie  Mat- 
thews stand  at  the  head  of  the  list. 

Did  I  tell  you  that  when  dear  Mother 
Austin  heard  of  our  sickness  she  was  de- 
termined to  come  to  us  in  a  canoe? — a  dis- 
tance of  over  two  hundred  miles,  in  travers- 
ing which  many  and  many  a  canoe  is  lost. 
And  since  we  have  been  here  her  devotion 
and  love  have  never  dimmed  day  or  night. 
No  money  could  ever  repay  it,  and  I  greatly 
lonof  to  be  able  to  do  somcthimj  for  her.  .  .  . 
Our  Chilcat  Home  is  surely  to  be  built.  .  .  . 

Carrie  M.  Willard. 


To  the  Sabbath-School  of  the   Presbyterian 
Chtirch  of  East  Springfield,  New  York. 

Sheldon  Jackson  Institutk, 

Sitka,  Alaska,  November  17,  18S2. 

My  Dear  Friends:  I  think  you  must 
have  heard  already  of  our  long-continued 
trials  in  sickness,  as  well  as  our  great  joy 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


243 


m 


•ij. 


over  a  beautiful  new  baby-boy,  whom  we 
call  Fred.  He  came  to  us  on  the  13th  day 
of  September,  just  the  day  after  that  pre- 
cious barrel  came  from  you — the  barrel 
about  which  I  was  too  ill  to  know  anything 
for  six  weeks.  Then  we  had  a  grand  open- 
ing-day, and  we  wished,  as  you  did,  that 
you  could  have  been  partakers  with  us  of 
that  feast.  There  were  some  tears  shed, 
but  I  need  not  tell  you  that  they  were  not 
for  grief. 

I  was  still  unable  to  sit  up  any,  and,  as 
her  papa  unpacked  the  barrel  in  my  room, 
our  little  two-year-old  Carrie  trotted  back 
and  forth,  bringing  me  the  things  to  look 
at.  She  stood  on  tiptoe,  trying  to  peer 
into  the  treasure-house,  and  as  one  by 
one  the  articles  were  lifted  to  her  sight 
she  clapped  her  little  hands  before  seizing 
them,  then  ran  with  them  to  me,  her  face 
all  aglow  and  all  the  way  calling,  "  Mam- 
ma !  Oh,  oh,  mamma  !  See  !  Oh,  oh  !" 
and  her  papa's  and  mamma's  pleasure 
was  just  as  sincere  as  hers. 

All  the  way  from  little  Grace  Robinson's 
blocks  and  Joel  Rathbun's  baby-mittens  to 


244 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


the  dear  old  grandmodier's  precious  i^rccn 
flannel,  from  the  advertisini^  cards  to  that 
great  beautiful  unabridcred  Webster,  every- 
thing was  full  of  beauty  and  grace  to  us,  so 
rich  had  they  been  made  by  your  love.  We 
thank  you  a  thousand  times,  and  are  still 
your  debtors  in  love.  I  should  like  to 
speak  to  each  dear  giver  and  of  each 
gift  individually,  but  it  is  impossible  to 
do  so  now. 

That  glad  opening-day,  so  full  of  joy  to 
our  little  Carrie,  was,  I  believe,  the  last  day 
she  was  able  to  be  up.  During  my  long 
illness  there  had  been  no  physician  here, 
but  at  this  time  there  were  three,  or  we 
think  our  precious  child  could  not  have 
lived  through  her  terrible  attack.  For 
days  we  watched  and  nursed  her,  not 
knowing  what  hour  would  be  the  last  of 
that  bright  life  with  us ;  but  God  spared 
her,  and  she  is  now  slowly  recovering, 
though  still  weak  as  a  little  babe  and 
very   thin   and  white. 

Of  course,  I  am  worn  with  much  suffer- 
ing and  long  watching ;  so  please  pardon 
if  I  write  but  a  dull  letter. 


IJFE  IN  ALASKA. 


245 


Our  "  Home "  is  not  begun,  and  our 
hearts  are  full  of  sadness  to  think  of  our 
poor  people  so  long  without  us.  We  are 
so  happy  and  grateful  for  the  deep  and  un- 
expected interest  that  our  Home-project  has 
created,  and  for  the  generous  responses 
to  our  call  for  means.  We  have  been  in- 
formed of  the  receipt  by  the  Woman's  Ex- 
ecutive Committee  of  Home  Missions  of 
nearly  one  thousand  dollars  for  this  pur- 
pose, and  you  know  that  we  have  the  prom- 
ise of  more.  Since  this  is  the  case,  and  we 
have  been  prevented  from  beginning  a  lit- 
tle and  early  Home,  we  are  hoping  to  hear 
of  further  contributions — enough  to  justify 
our  beginning,  in  the  (rarly  spring,  a  build- 
in  i^  to  cost  not  above  four  thousand  dol- 
lars.  To  be  able  to  accomplish  this  next 
summer  we  must  know  that  every  cent  is 
certain,  in  time  to  send  below  to  Oregon 
and  have  the  lumber  come  up  on  the  spring 
steamer.  Our  building,  as  we  have  planned 
it,  will  be  forty  by  sixty  feet,  for  both  boys 
and  girls,  and  will  cost  so  much  because 
freights  are  about  double  those  to  Sitka. 
The  money  sent  to  the   Board  should  be 


246 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


plainly  and  emphatically  labeled  "  For  tJic 
buildmg  of  the  Chile  at  Ho7ne!' 

Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson  came  up  on  the 
September  steamer  to  superintend  the 
building  of  the  new  Sitka  Home,  bring- 
ing with  him  Miss  Bessie  L.  Matthews, 
of  Monmouth,  Illinois,  to  take  charge  of 
our  school  in  Haines.  When  our  Home 
is  in  full  running-order,  we  will  have  an- 
other teacher,  and  Miss  Matthews  will  be 
its  worthy  matron  ;  so  you  must  know  and 
love  her  henceforth  as  a  member  of  your 
missionary  family.  Now  she  awaits  our 
return,  when  she  will  accompany  us  and 
begin  school-work  ;  but  surely  God  sent  her 
when  she  came  here,  for  what  we  all  should 
have  done  without  her  I  do  not  know,  as 
good  Mrs.  Austin  has  had  sickness  in  her 
own  family,  and  her  eyes  have  been  so 
badly  affected  that  the  physician  forbade 
her  doing  anything. 

Dr.  Jackson  also  brought  Miss  Kate  A. 
Rankin  as  an  assistant  matron  to  Mrs.  A. 
R.  McFarland  at  Fort  Wrangell,  and  Miss 
Clara  A.  Gould  to  take  charge  of  the  school 
at  Jackson,  under  her  brother,  who  recently 


u. 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


247 


entered  that  field.  He  and  Mr.  McFarland 
(who  married  Miss  Dunbar  at  Fort  Wran- 
gell)  were  laymen  ordained  for  this  work. 

We  have  now  five  Presbyterian  ministers 
in  Alaska — Mr.  John  G.  Brady,  who  came 
out  to  the  Sitka  mission  in  1878,  but  is  now 
engaged  in  mercantile  business  here,  Mr. 
S.  H.  Young,  who  has  charge  of  the  Wran- 
gell  work,  my  husband  and  the  two  new 
comers  first  mentioned.  This  number 
enables  us  to  have  a  Presbytery,  and  at 
our  first  meeting  we  hope  to  have  Mr.  Aus- 
tin, of  this  station,  ordained.  Although  he 
was  commissioned  by  the  Board  as  a  lay- 
teacher,  he  has  been,  and  is,  doing  most 
excellently  a  minister's  work  here.  Our 
meeting  is  to  convene  at  Sitka,  as  it  is  the 
most  central  station,  being  about  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy-five  miles  south  of  Haines, 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  north-west  of 
Fort  Wrangell,  and  about  two  hundred  and 
seventy-five  miles  north  of  Jackson.  Hoon- 
yah  (Boyd)  where  Mr.  Styles,  a  son-in-law 
of  Mr.  Austin,  taught  last  year,  is  about 
halfway  to  Haines  and  north  of  Sitka. 
Haines  is  by  steamer  one  hundred  and  five 


J48 


LIFE    IJV  A/.ASfCA. 


miles,  by  canoe  only  seventy-five  miles,  from 
Juneau. 

We  have  had  no  word  from  our  field 
since  August.  Mrs.  Dickinson,  our  inter- 
preter, had  a  two  months'  vacation  from 
that  time,  which  she  has  spent  in  Oregon. 

Our  Sunday  services  are  conducted 
through  an  interpreter,  but  our  teaching 
is  not.  We  are  learning  Kling-get  just 
as  fast  as  we  can,  and  hope  to  be  able  to 
do  without  an  interpreter  in  a  few  months 
more ;  had  it  not  been  for  our  long  sick- 
ness, we  would  now  be  able  to  do  so.  As 
it  is,  we  communicate  with  the  people  ordi- 
narily without  trouble.  Of  course,  in  the 
school  we  teach  English,  and  the  little  folks 
pick  it  up  rapidly,  though  they  are  very  dif- 
fident about  trying  to  use  it,  because  they 
are  so  keenly  sensitive  to  ridicule ;  the 
sliijhtest  smile  at  a  mistake  will  bring:  on 
such  a  fit  of  sulks  as  utterly  to  preclude 
the  possibility  of  another  sound  from  that 
child.  When  I  gain  a  little  more  strength, 
I  must  tell  you  some  other  things  about  our 
people. 

Before  another  quarter  we  hope  the  Mas- 


///•/;  IN  ALASKA. 


249 


ter  will  send  us  back  to  our  own  work  in 
Chilcat,  but  by  what  means  we  do  not 
know.  Carrie  M.  Willard. 


To   the  SabbatJi-ScJiool  of  the  Presbyterian 
ChiircJi  of'  East  Springfield,  New  York. 

Sheldon  Jackson  Institutk, 

Sitka,  Alaska,  December  21,  1882. 

My  Dear  Friends  :  To-day  I  shall  try  to 
fulfill  my  promise  of  writiuLi^  you  something 
further  regarding  our  Chilcat  people.  And 
first  it  shall  be  respecting  their  belief  as  to 
death  and  the  future  life  and  their  mode  of 
disposing  of  the  dead. 

With  them,  as  with  us,  man  is  an  immor- 
tal soul,  livinii;-  for  ever  in  bliss  or  distress. 
Their  heaven  they  call  '*  the  beautiful,  beau- 
tiful island,"  being  surrounded  by  a  green 
water  so  vast  and  limitless  that  no  spirit 
can  find  its  way  to  rest  and  happiness. 
Even  to  the  outer  edge — to  the  earth-side — 
of  this  Indian's  eternity  it  is  a  long,  weary 
way,  for  the  comfort  and  successful  issue 
of  which  great  preparations  are  made. 
They  destroy  at  a  burial-feast  the  savings 
of  a  lifetime  and   rob   the   living  to  heap 


250 


IJFE  /N  A /.AS  A' A. 


upon  the  dead.  As  soon  as  it  becomes 
evident  or  probable  that  a  person  is  about 
to  die  all  effort  at  savinijf  the  life  is  <riven 
up  and  every  ene»"iTy  bent  toward  ensur- 
ing a  comfortable  journey. 

Last  winter,  when  a  little  child  was  sick 
and  suffering  greatly  from  exposure  and 
inadequate  clothing,  I  insisted  on  its  pa- 
rents bringing  out  blankets  and  keeping 
the  baby  warm,  but  "  they  had  none  " — 
"  they  were  poor ;"  neither  could  they  buy 
any  food  for  it.  After  keeping  it  in  my  own 
house  and  tendin<j  it  till  it  ffrew  much  hvx- 
ter,  I  dressed  it  in  <rood  warm  clothIn<if  of 
my  own  baby's — woolen  stockings,  skirt, 
etc. ;  then,  charging  the  mother  that  she 
must  keep  it  so  dressed,  that  its  life  de- 
pended on  it,  I  allowed  her  to  take  it  home. 
At  midniofht  there  was  a  knock  on  our  win- 
dow,  and,  springing  up,  I  found  the  father 
of  the  child  in  great  distress,  begging  me 
to  come,  as  they  thought  the  child  was  dy- 
ing. A  few  moments  more  and  I  was  with 
the  little  one,  who  lay  in  his  mother's  arms 
unconscious  and  scarcely  breathing.  It 
was  evidently  congestion  of  the  lungs,  from 


LIFE    IN  ALASKA. 


251 


which  he  had  no  strcncrth  to  rally.  Ihry 
had  stripped  him  upon  i^oiii^  hoiivr,  and 
folded  dway  the  ii^arments  in  a  trcasiire- 
hox,  to  be  in  readiness  if  he  should  di^r. 

When  I  saw  him  next,  it  was  in  full  i'.(\\xs\>- 
ment  for  the  journey.  The  small  fac<r  was 
painted  with  vermilion,  the  head  turbaned 
with  a  br'<;ht  handkerchief,  and  every  arti- 
cle of  '^'^'^y  clothing  he  possessed,  to;(«(;ther 
with  what  i  had  i^iven  him,  was  on  him  nowj 
and,  besides,  they  had  mad(i  mitten**  and 
ti(!d  them  on  his  hands.  In  a  little  bag  hung 
about  his  neck  were  charms  for  his  safety 
and  a  paper  containing  a  cpiantily  of  red 
powder  for  use  on  the  way.  I'he  body  was 
placed  in  a  sitting  posture,  v;ith  the  knees 
drawn  up  against  the  breast  and  held  in 
place  by  a  bandage.  Then  over  and  around 
all  were  beautiful  white  woolen  blankets 
enough  to  make  any  mother's  heart  com- 
fortable. 

The  body  always  sits  thus  in  state  until 
all  the  arrangements  are  perfected  for  its 
burning,  which  takes  place  at  sunrise.  On 
the  night  before,  the  friends  of  the  tribe  are 
called  together  at  the  house  of  the  deceasird, 


25: 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


when  the  roll  of  rank  is  called,  the  highest 
chief  beinir  calhxl  first.     One  man  takes  his 
])osition  close  to  the  oreat  blazin<r  fire  in 
the  centre  of  the  room.     The  loo;s  are  piled 
toi^ether   for  this    social    fire   in    loo-house 
fashion,  four-square  and  three  or  four  hi^h, 
the  flames  sometimes  reachinof  even  throu^rh 
and  above  the  roof.     Me  has  beside  him  a 
large  wooden  tray  of  tobacco,  from  which 
he  fills   the   pipe- bowls  of  all   the  friends. 
One  by  one,  as  they  are  filled,  a  little  boy 
lights  and  starts  them,  then  hands  them  to 
the  waiting  circle.     They  are  smoked  and 
exchaiiiji'ed  a^rain  and  ajjain  in  silence,  ex- 
cept  for    the   occasional   slow  and   solemn 
sjjeech  of  some  member,  which  elicits  now 
and  then   a  monotonous   refrain   from   an- 
othc^r,  all   retaining  th(Mr  seats      Then   the 
chlc^fs  with  woo(l(Mi  staves  beat  time  on  the 
lloor,  while  the  men  sing  a  wild  and  weird 
st-ain,  into  which,  ever  antl  anon,  tlie  wo- 
men, with  dieir  blackened  faces  and  close- 
cut  hcilr,  burst  vvith  shri'l  cries,  which  fall 
again  into  a  low  dying  wail.      At  sunrise 
the    body,  which    has   been    wrapjjed,   and 
wra])ped  again,  in  the  best  of  blankets,  is 


nin 


low 


an- 

tlU! 

the 


nnl 


\vo- 


)SC- 

Ifall 


-ise 


'  IllI.CAr     MAM    IN     NATIVK    COSIl'MK,    WIIH     WodDI  N     HAP 
sroNK     MoRTAK.    AM)    (AUVII)    WooiHN    SIAll'. 

J''rt)i>i  ii  I'rini'inf;  I'y  Mrs.   Wiliard. 


hn( 


IS 


1 

t 

11 


tl 

cl 
m 

St 

of 

be 

ar 

wl 

an 

pe 

thci 

( 

bo( 

Tea 

viu 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


255 


raised  by  ropes  made  of  skin  throu^^h  the 
openin<j  in  the  roof,  as  no  Indian  would 
dare  to  carry  a  dead  body  throui^h  the 
door.  Some  of  the  other  tribes  take  out  a 
board  from  the  back  of  the  house,  and  after 
removing  through  it  the  body  a  dog  is  led 
through,  that  any  attending  evil  may  fall 
upon  it. 

The  cremation  takes  place  at  some  dis- 
tance from  the  houses.  What  stands  for 
their  burying-ground  is  usually  of  a  rolling 
character — that  is,  on  a  little  hill — and  pre- 
sents a  peculiar  appearance,  a  village  of 
miniature  houses,  each  built  on  four  hi^rh 
stakes.  These  houses  are  the  receptacles 
of  the  box  into  which  have  been  put  the 
bones  and  ashes  of  the  burned  body,  and 
are  never  opened  save  by  the  "  witches," 
who  leave  no  outward  traces  of  their  visits, 
and  by  the  friends  of  some  "  bewitched " 
person,  who  search  for  the  misplaced  bone 
that  has  caused  the  trouble. 

On  the  nii^ht  after  the  burnintr  of  the 
body  is  celebrated  the  "  Co-ek-y " — the 
feast  for  the  dead.  Another  tribe  is  in- 
vited.    Red   paint  is  used  with  the  black. 


256 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


There  is  much   noisy  music   and  dancing. 
Great  quantities  of  berries  and  salmon-oil 


TdlKM    ni^II    OK   CINNAMON    I!1;AR   OR    HOOTS   TRIHK,  WITH 

lAIU.K    MAI".  If 

From  a   /'>/  inc/iii^  by  Mrs.   II  il/arci. 

are  brouo-ht  out  in  huire  dishes  and  placed 
on  the  door  before  the  f^uests  (or  amonj^ 
them,  rather,  as  every  bowl  is  surrounded) ; 
then,  as  they  eat  to^rether,  wooden  dishes 
of  similar  food  and  of  Hour,  sugar,  and 
whatever  else  they  are  able  to  obtain,  are 
placed  in  the  fire  and  burned ;  so  that,  be- 
ing thus  spiritualized,  as  they  think,  it  may 
be  partaken  of  by  the  spirit  of  their  friend, 
so  lately  freed  from  the  body  by  fire,  and 
which  is  still  hoverimj;-  about  before  start- 
ing  on  the  journey.  After  this  the  music 
and  dancinij;-  are  aijain  resumed,  and  then 
comes  the  display  for  which  the  entin;  fam- 
ily has  been  saving  and  gathering — it  may 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


257 


be,  many  years — and  for  which  they  gen- 
erally suffer  in  absolute  want  for  years  to 
con.e.  Great  heaps  of  blankets,  all  new 
and  good,  webs  of  cloth,  muslin  and  calico. 


CIIIl.CAT   SlIAWI,   MADK   KROM     NIK   \V«  lol.    OK   niK   WILD    MOUN- 
TAIN  (JOAT   AND   fOVKKKl)   Willi    TOTKMIC    EMHI.KMS. 

are  broutrht  out  and  laid  b(?fore  a  man 
appointed  to  dispose  of  them.  With  two 
assistants  he  cuts  and  tears  all  these  things 
into  small  strips.     This  being  done  with  a 

17 


258 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


peculiar  carvexl  and  inlaid  hook  kept  for 
that  purpose,  they  are  distributed  among 
the  people,  who  treasure  them  as  precious 
possessions,  and  by  sewing  them  together 
construct  a  garment  after  the  style  of 
Joseph's  coat  of  many  colors.  Sometimes 
we  see  a  coat  made  of  three  pieces  obtained 
at  different  times,  when  the  body  will  be 
striped  red,  yellow,  purple  and  green,  one 
sleeve  of  blue,  the  other  of  brown.  Dresses 
are  gotten  up  in  the  same  unique  fashion — 
it  may  be,  of  a  dozen  different  patterns  and 
colors. 

This  feast  ends  the  ceremonies,  which, 
according  to  their  belief,  are  participated 
in  by  the  dead.  Afterward,  if  the  deceased 
be  a  male  of  high  class,  the  heir  or  heiress 
must  build  a  i^i'^at  dwellincr-house  with 
feasting  and  dancing,  to  stand  an  empty 
monument  to  the  departed. 

To  this  prevailing  custom  there  are  no 
exceptions,  save  in  the  preserving  of  the 
bodies  of  the  medicine-men,  and  in  cases 
of  drowning  when  the  body  cannot  be  re- 
covered. The  bodies  of  medicine-men  are 
never  burned,   because   their  spirits  leave 


LH'E   in  ALASKA. 


259 


the  bodies  only  to  enter  new  ones.     It  is 
thus  that  the  "  K^ih-naiik-salute  "  ("  medi- 

' —  I 


MKDICINK-MKN"    (;KAVKS 


cine-man  ")  is  born.  If,  after  the  death  of 
an  Indian  doctor,  a  woman  dreams  that  his 
spirit  has  entered  her  unl)orn  child,  or  if 
a  child  is  born  with  red  hair  or  with  curly 
hair,  it  is  sacred  from  its  birth,  and  its  hair 
is  inviolate  always  from  shears  or  comb. 
After  his  death  th(!  body  is  held  in  terrible 
awe,  and  is  wrapp^-d  in  the  best  of  every- 
thing.     His  face  is   painted  with  red,  his 


26o 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


hair  powdered  widi  eagle's  down  (which 
he  used  to  a  great  extent  in  his  incanta- 
tions), and  at  last  he  is  bound  in  his  wraps 
like  a  mummy  and  laid  away  in  some  wild 
rocky  gorge,  or  in  a  cave  which  the  waves 
have  worn. 

There  is  always  great  virtue  pertaining 
to  the  body  of  a  medicine-man,  and  its 
presence  is  indispensable  at  the  initiation 
of  new  doctors.  I  have  been  with  the  In- 
dians in  passing  by  one  of  these  sepulchres, 
and  it  is  always  with  hushed  tones  and  ges- 
tures of  awe  and  terror  that  they  speak  of 
what  it  holds.  If  they  have  with  them  young 
children  as  they  pass  the  haunted  spot,  a 
handful  of  down  is  held  over  the  child  and 
blown  away,  to  carry  off  any  evil  influence 
that  may  have  been  cast  upon  it  by  the 
dark  spirits  that  guard  the  place. 

More  than  any  other  form  of  death,  more 
than  the  most  excruciating  torture,  the  In- 
dian dreads  drowning.  Going  through  the 
water,  he  is  never  utterly  freed  from  the 
clogs  of  earth;  he  is  unequipped  for  the 
journey  through  a  land  of  mystery ;  for 
ages   he   must   wander   hungry  and   cold. 


f 


5 


I.ir'E   IN  ALASKA. 


261 


with  scarcely  a  possibility  of  at  last  finding 
the  great  green  water  which  lies  between 
every  soul  and  heaven.  When  a  soul  has 
gained  for  itself  the  right  to  eternal  happi- 
ness, it  sees,  upon  approaching  the  great 
river,  a  canoe  in  waiting  to  convey  it  to 
the  happy  land ;  a  sure  entrance  and  an 
everlasting  security  are  assured.  The  wick- 
ed also  gain  the  shore,  but  are  doomed  to 
eternal  waiting.       Carrie  M.  Willard. 


To  the  Ladies  Home  Mission  Society.,  Schen- 
ectady, New  York. 

Shki.don  Jackson  Institute, 

Sitka,  Alaska,  November  29,  1882. 

My  Dear  Mrs.  Poiter:  If  ever  i  write 
you,  you  say.  If  ever  I  do  not  write  after 
receiving  such  tokens  of  loving  thought 
as  those  two  packages  from  Schenectady 
proved  to  be,  I  shall  not  be  myself.  At 
any  rate,  I  am  so  glad  of  that  writing-pa- 
per which  you  so  kindly  sent !  We  thank 
you,  and  through  you  wish  to  thank  all  the 
good  people  who  had  part  in  the  good  deed. 
It  is  only  in  circumstances  like  ours,  cut  off 
from  home  comforts,  that  Christian  friend- 


262 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


ship  can  bo  appreciated  at  its  full  worth. 
Even  the  slightest  tokens,  when  sent  so 
far  and  received  by  us  in  our  isolation  and 
loneliness,  bring  with  them  a  strange  pow- 
er to  warm  and  thrill  our  hearts. 

Would  you  truly  like  to  hear  h  w  the 
bundles  were  opened?  Well,  it  was  in 
Sitka  instead  of  in  Chilcat,  because  we 
have  had  no  way  of  getting  home  since 
our  beautiful  baby-boy  came,  in  September. 

On  the  day  after  the  steamer  left,  when 
Mr.  Austin  opened  his  box  and  brought  to 
us  our  share  Oi  its  contents,  baby  Fred  lay 
asleep  in  his  cradle,  sick  Carrie  sat  propped 
among  her  pillows,  with  her  mamma  close 
beside,  while  on  the  floor  before  us  papa 
disclosed  the  treasures.  The  first  thing 
which  attracted  my  attention  was  the  blue- 
and-white  coverlet.  It  looked  so  familiar 
and  home-like,  for  my  own  dear  mother 
spun  the  yarn  for  and  wove  just  such  a  one 
long  before  she  was  my  mother ;  and  this  is 
a  fine  specimen.  I  know  its  labor-cost  well 
enough  to  appreciate  its  worth,  and  it  will 
be  additionally  valuable  to  us.  I  know  we 
shall  be   besieged  for   it  by  the  covetous 


i 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


263 


Chilcats.  Next  came  tlu;  nice  white  \wA- 
spread  and  sheets  and  pillowcases,  the  tow- 
els, the  warm  woolly  blankets,  etc.,  all  of 
which,  as  they  came  to  view,  broiight  new 
exclamations  of  delight.  Last  of  all  we 
looked  at  the  little  thin<j^s  for  baby  Carrie, 
and  I  do  wish  that  you  all  could  have  seen 
her  as  they  were  handed  to  her.  Her 
pleasure  was  an  ecstacy.  She  must  have 
them  on  right  away;  and  when  I  had  put 
on  her  the  little  blue  dress,  it  would  have 
added  much  to  our  pleasure  if  the  good 
mother  whose  darling  had  first  worn  it 
could  have  seen  mine  wear  it  then.  She 
is  called  a  beautiful  child,  and  I  think  she 
is,  with  her  long  sunny  curls,  big  blue  eyes 
and  wonderful  skin,  and  she  looked  so 
sweet  in  the  perfectly-fitting  little  dress ! 
They  are  exacdy  the  right  size.  Katch- 
keel-ah,  our  little  Indian  girl,  was  also 
thoroughly  pleased  with  her  mittens,  while 
even  the  little  black  urchin  who  peeped  in 
at  the  window  had  his  share  of  the  glad- 
ness.    Let  us  all  thank  you  again. 

We  do  not  know  how  soon  the  way  will 
be  opened  for  our  return  home,  but  we 


264 


J.  I  IE    IN  ALASKA. 


hope  it  may  be  before  loiii^.     We  are  loii^- 
injj^  to  be  back  witli  our  own  people. 

Have  you  heard  that  we  are  to  have  a 
Home  for  children  at  Haines?  It  is  to  be 
built  next  summer,  and  I  am  ^oini^  to  tell 
)  ()U  that  we  will  need  everything"  for  it,  from 
a  piece  of  soap  to  curtains  and  carpet,  from 
shoes  to  bonnets  and  capes.  We  are  to 
have  both  boys  and  ^nrls  ;  and  wlum  time 
and  stren<^th  will  permit,  I  shall  be  (^lad  to 
t(;ll  you  more  of  our  plans  and  of  our  work. 
But  for  this  time  I  must  close. 

Gratefully  and  affectionately  yours, 

Cakrik  M.  Willaki). 


SiiKi,iM)N  Jackson  Institutk, 

Sitka,  Alaska,  Marcli  12,  iS8^. 

My  Dear  Friknds:  Why,  yes  indeed  I 
will  tell  you  about  Sitka !  Did  you  think 
it  was  on  Sitka  Island  ?  I  thou£i^ht  so  once, 
but  I  have  not  been  able  to  find  it  so  out- 
side the  geographies.  I  well  remember 
trying,  before  we  came  to  Alaska,  to  get 
its  points  by  heart ;  but  the  more  I  learned, 
the  less  I  knew. 

I  do  hope   that  I   shall    not  puzzle  you 


■ 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


267 


furilu;r.  Sitka  is  situated  on  a  I'  an ti fill 
harbor  bearing  the  same  name  and  in- 
denting the  western  coast  of  Baranoff  Isl- 
and. Great  mountains  to  the  east  and  the 
north  stand  i^uard  over  the  little  town  nest- 
linLT  at  thcnr  feet,  shelterinir  it  from  the  cold 
winds  and  snow  that,  blowini^  from  the  far 
icy  inland,  strike  these  old  protectors  and 
turn  their  stern  heads  white.  Seaward,  too, 
island  fortifications  thrown  up  in  the  long- 
ago  shield  this  favored  child-city  from  the 
rouMiness  of  the  waters. 

It  is  not  cold  here.  At  the  foot  of  the 
mountains  there  is,  indeed,  enough  ice  on 
the  little  lake  (whose  waters,  (lowing  tlown, 
keen  turninLT  the  threat  wheel  of  the:  saw- 
mill  in  the  town)  to  make  skating — for 
some  days,  at  least — during  the  short  win- 
ter, and  enough  snow  falls  to  make  a  hand- 
sled  quite  a  pleasure  on  the  long,  smooth 
street.  The  small  folks — ay,  and  the  big 
ones  too,  I  can  testify — enjoy  it  greatly.  The 
little  Indians  ride  just  like  white  boys,  only — 
do  you  know  ? — I've  never  seen  them  going 
"grinders."  They  do  slide  in  every  other 
way,   I   believe,  and  on  every  conceivable 


268 


r.II'E   IX  ALASA'A. 


kind  of  sled  ;  hut  boxes,  bits  of  board  and 
shinirlt^s  are  the  most  fashionable. 

Alonzo  Austin  has  quite  a  novel  turn- 
out for  this  part  of  Alaska  ;  it  is  a  little 
seated  sleii^h  drawn  by  a  biij;"  black  doi^, 
which  he  has  nicely  trained  to  the  whip. 
This  doLT  will  run  for  a  rnile  or  two  without 
seemino;'  to  <^row  tired.  Not  only  that,  but 
he  really  seems  to  enjoy  the  fun  as  much 
as  anybody.  I^lvery  one  has  to  be  quick 
about  enjoying  it,  for  it  doesn't  stay  loni^. 
The  (ground  may  chancre  'ri  an  hour  from 
its  native  j^ray  to  the  snowy  white  math; 
<^ay  with  noisy  children,  and  in  an  hour 
more  all  the  snow  may  have  vanished  and 
the  rain  be  pouriiti;^  down. 

There  is  a  i^reat  deal  of  rain  here.  You 
know  that  in  the  States  a  foot  and  a  half 
is  about  an  averai^e  annual  rainfall,  but  the 
rainfall  of  Sitka  for  the  year  1882  was  about 
eight  and  a  half  feet;  yet  the  humidity  of 
the  atmosphere  is  very  much  less  than  that 
of  many  portions  of  the  United  States  where 
there  is  much  less  rain.  If  the  people  were 
good  and  cleanly  and  more  careful  about 
drainage,    there    is    no    reason    why   Sitka 


sh 
dil 


?; 


Cl( 


md 


f.I'R  IN  ALASKA. 


269 


should  not  bt  ..  healthful  place.     The  con- 
ditions of  healthfulness  are  here. 


MAIV   SIR  .'■T,   SITKA,   ALASKA. 


The   town   itself   is  a  little   old,   tumble- 
down  affair  more;  remarkable  for  its  mossy 


lyo 


LIFE    //V  ALASKA. 


Russian  ruins  tlian  for  anything  else.  And 
yet  there  is  one  feature  made  more  strik- 
ingly prominent  uy  these  very  tilings — a 
fact  wliich  is  very  sweet  to  Christians — 
that  striking  far  beneath  this  heap  of  social 
rottenness  and  the  decay  of  earthly  splen- 
dor there  is  a  root  which,  springing  up, 
shall  one  day  bear  the  white  flower  of  im- 
mortal life,  the  fruit  of  glory  to  Cjod.  We 
saw  the  blade  in  the  first  little  mission 
school  started  here,  and  wliich  developed 
into  the  first  Home  for  boys.  The  build- 
ing, which  was  a  [lart  of  crumbling  Rus- 
sia, was  destroyed  by  lire  in  January  of 
1882.  Ar.d  now  we  sec  not  only  a  fresh 
green  blade  of  promise,  but  the  "  ear,"  in 
the  great  new  l)uilding  for  a  h'mdred  boys 
and  girls  which  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson  erect- 
ed last  summer.  You,  and  those  whom 
your  means  have  sent  out  work  together 
with  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  for  the  filling 
of  the  "full  corn  in  the  ear."  Let  us  labor 
faithfully  and  with  prayer,  that  at  the  last 
there  may  be  a  great  and  joyous  gather- 
ing in  and  rendering  up  of  the  precious 
grain. 


r. 


Lll'E   IN  AI./ISA'A. 


273 


The  new  mission  hiiilclin^^  is  at  the  ex- 
treme edii^e  of  town,  with  old  Popoff  Moun- 
tain behind,  ahiiost  overhani;in<^^  it.  At  the 
other  end  of  th(*  lonj/  town,  in  a  part  from 
whicli,  diirinL^  Kiissian  rule;,  tlie  main  town 
was  barricaded,  is  the  native  villaire,  with 
its  front  open  to  the  bay,  and  with  a  hijj^hcr 
ridg^e  of  ground  clos(!  behind,  and  which  is 
ahiiost  as  thickly  built  with  httle  hous'.'s  for 
the  dead.  As  a  natural  barrier,  i^reat  rociv;i 
push  out  from  this  ridj^rc;  toward  the  bay, 
just  at  the  entranc(!  to  the  v'.llag^e ;  and 
there  where  rock  and  wat(T  fail  to  meet,  is 
the  builded  barricade,  with  but  a  single 
openintr  into  th(*  smooth  t^rc^en  common. 
The  latter  i ;  now  used  for  such  out-door 
games  as  are  played  by  the  young  people 
and  for  a  parad(;-ground  by  the  marines. 
It  seems,  however,  to  hav(!  beeti  in  the  old 
days  a  park,  whosct  picturesque  music-stand 
still  remains.  Hut  the  trees,  together  with 
the  pleasant  cotlage-r(;sidences  occupied 
by  the  Russian  ofric(;rs,  and  which  sur- 
rounded two  sid<"i  of  th(;  park,  were  burned 
down  lonL{  ai/o.  A  sione  wall  on  the  third 
side,  set  with  cannon,  kept  th(;  law  between 


IS 


274 


LIFE.    IN  ALASKA. 


land  and  sea.  Alonir  the  fourth  side — and 
this  just  opposite  the  barricade — still  stand 
the  custom-house  and  the  barracks,  between 
which,  c^uarded  by  mounted  brass  cannon, 
is  the  double  gate  entrance  to  the  "castle," 
built  on  a  \\\\A\  rock  overlookinir  both  town 
and  harbor  and  reached  by  means  of  weari- 
some fliofhts  of  stairs.  This  immense  old 
log  structure,  with  the  arched  windows  of 
its  hiiTh-irabled  centre  roof  lookimx  out  to 
sea,  is  the  third  buildin<r  which  has  occu- 
pied  this  rock- top.  Of  the  others,  the  first 
was  destroyed  by  fire  ;  the  second,  a  brick 
building,  by  earthquake.  I^nt  all  three 
have  been  scenes  of  much  macrnificence 
as  the  residence  of  the  ruling  prince.  The 
hewn  loi^fs  of  this  buildinof  are  fitted  into 
each  other  like  round-bottomcHl  troughs, 
with  moss  and  clay  between,  and  are  dovc;- 
tailed  at  the  corners,  through  each  of  whii  h 
passes  a  great  copper  bolt  from  roof  to 
foundation. 

During  Russian  reign  Sitka  was  hill  of 
life  and  gayety,  having,  besides  its  prince's 
family,  his  suite,  government  officials  with 
their  families,  and  the  military     There  were 


/.///;    IN  ALASKA. 


275 


h 
to 


ith 


also  the  officers  ofthe  Gref-k  Church;  for, as 
you  know,  many  of  its  priests  and  bishops 
are  members  of  the  Russian  army.  The 
church  at  that  time  was  rich,  mat^mificent 
with  its  pictures,  its  o-old-wrouL,''ht  and  jew- 
eled frames  and  hancrin<jfs.  Much  of  this 
wealth  was  stolen,  it  is  said,  by  the  soldiers 
after  the  territory  was  i)urchased  by  the 
United  States  ^^overnment.  There  were, 
too,  at  that  early  time,  several  i^ood  schools 
and  a  seminary.  There  were,  also,  ship- 
ping'-yards  with  "ways"  for  launchin<^  ves- 
sels of  a  thousand  tons.  After  the  transfer 
of  title,  and  the  consequent  removal  of  near- 
ly all  the  better  class  of  Russians,  civiliza- 
tion sank  to  almost  native  rudeness,  with- 
out one  saving-  hand.  Schools  ceased,  in- 
dustries failed  and  the  principal  aim  of  the 
United  States  military  force  stationed  here 
seems  to  have  been  the  rapid  and  total 
destruction  of  good.  The  worst  part  of  a 
civilized  world  they  did  indeed  bring,  intro- 
ducing its  bad  whisky,  which,  running  riot 
ever  since,  is  rapidly  reducing  a  once- rug- 
ged race  to  extinction. 

In    front  of  the    oovernment    buildings. 


276 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


passini^  throiii^li  the  common,  is  the  hard 
smooth  avenue  runninj^  directly  throuq^h 
the  town  from  the  wharf  back  of  the  bar- 
racks to  Sheklon  Jackson  Institute,  and  for 
a  mile  beyond  throuj^h  the  evergreens, 
which,  opening  here  and  there,  give  lovely 
glimpses  of  the  bay.  There  are  no  horses 
and  carriages  to  travel  this  road  now, 
though  in  Russian  days,  I  am  told,  they 
were  both  numerous  and  fine.  The  near- 
est approach  here  at  present  to  such  an 
equipage  is  a  '*  big  wagon  "  drawn  by  a 
team  of  mules,  which  was  brought  up  for 
work  in  the  mines.  There  are,  besides, 
of  four-footed  travelers,  three  or  four  cows, 
several  goats,  two  sheep,  and  dogs  innumer- 
able. The  stock  of  vehicles  includes  a  hand- 
cart, a  water-barrel  on  wheels,  a  baby-car- 
riage or  two  and  some  wheelbarrows. 

The  two-story  mission  building  of  the 
Sheldon  Jackson  Institute,  one  hundred 
feet  front  and  fifty  feet  deep,  stands  on 
an  eminence  which  slopes  gently  to  the 
beach  just  where  the  avenue,  following  the 
water-line,  enters  the  green  wood,  and  a 
branch  road  to  the  left  winds  up  around 


LIFE    IN  ALASKA. 


277 


the  house  and  throuirh  the  brushwood 
farm  at  its  rear.  The  house  is  frame, 
plainly  and  substantially  built,  containingr, 
besides  the  teacher's  apartments  and  those 
intended  for  the  home  of  the  children,  a 
larjj^e  room  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
day-school,  and  which  is  also  used  for  the 
Sabbath  services.  There  are  now  in  the 
Home  twenty-four  boys,  whose  aj^es  range 
from  eii^ht  to  seventeen  years.  Most  of 
them  are  quick  to  learn,  and  some  show 
quite  an  aptness  for  trades.  They  are 
very  much  interested  in  the  progress  of 
the  building-,  going  out  in  squads  last  fall, 
under  Mr.  Styles's  direction,  to  cut  and  tow 
in  logs  for  lumber  and  for  the  foundation. 
Two  or  three  have  done  well  on  the  car- 
penter work.  They  patch  their  own  shoes, 
do  their  own  ba'^-ring  quite  creditably, 
and  many  carve  in  spare  moments  their 
favorite  and  odd  tlofures  of  fish,  the  crow 
and  duck.  Miniature  ships,  too,  they  get 
up  with  much  ingenuity,  full-rigged,  and 
little  Indian  canoes. 

These  boys  are  growing  ambitious,  too, 
it  seems.     I  heard  of  a  council  that  they 


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Corporation 


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1.25      1.4 

J4 

-^ 6"     — 

► 

23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  873-4503 


i^ 


^^ 


278 


I.IFR   IN  ALASKA. 


held  alone  one  night  just  after  the  old  In- 
dians had  been  trying  to  prevail  on  Ru- 
dolph (who  was  about  sixteen  years  of 
age)  to  become  the  husband  of  his  uncle- 
chief's  old  widow,  that  he  might  inherit  the 
property.  The  boy  could  not  be  persuaded, 
and  that  night  there  was  a  very  free  ex- 
pression of  opinion  by  all  the  boys.  Archie 
seemed  to  speak  for  all,  however,  when  he 
said,  very  seriously,  "  I  would  never  marry 
dirty  old  Ingun  for  a  thousand  dollars.  I 
never  marry  her.  When  I'm  a  man,  I 
want  to  take  good,  clean  girl  for  wife.  I 
want  her  to  know  books  and  to  housekeep 
like  Boston  girl.  I  not  like  it — my  house 
— all  dirty,  my  children  not  washed." 

Several  of  the  boys  have  selected  their 
little  wives-to-be,  and  are  very  anxious 
that  Mrs.  Austin  should  take  them  into 
the  family  and  train  them  to  "  housekeep." 
1  believe  that  she  intends  doing  so. 

Knowing  this  native  habit  of  early  se- 
lection, I  one  day  inquired  if  Willie  had  a 
little  girl  in  view.  "  Oh  yes,"  was  the  an- 
swer; "when  Willie  learn  plenty  of  book, 
he  want  litde  girl   too." 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


279 


Some  of  the  boys  in  this  Home  have 
been  rescued  from  the  pangs  of  witch- 
craft torture,  others  from  illnesses  which 
without  the  missionary's  care  must  have 
proved  fatal.  The  most  notable  of  the 
latter  is  the  case  of  Lawrence,  nicknamed 
by  the  boys  •'  Sick  Man." 

You  remember — do  you  not? — that  in 
my  first  letter  from  Sitka,  almost  two 
years  ago,  among  other  requests  was  that 
for  articles  which  would  make  the  sick- 
room pleasant  and  comfortable,  and  I 
spoke  of  a  litde  boy  who  the  physician 
said  could  not  get  well.  He  was  then  a 
great  sufferer,  and  it  seemed  probable  that 
he  would  very  soon  be  an  inmate  of  that 
sick-room,  for  he  was  dying  inch  by  inch 
from  a  terrible  abscess.  Well,  that  boy, 
cured  under  the  missionary's  care,  was  the 
very  boy  who  saved  both  life  and  property 
on  that  fearful  night  of  the  burning  of  the 
Home.  All  had  been  sleeping  soundly, 
when  a  boy,  arousing,  smelled  smoke.  He 
turned  to  his  neighbor  and  asked  what  it 
could  mean.  Concluding  that  it  must  be 
morning  and  that  breakfast  was  being  pre- 


28o 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


pared,  the  boys  dozed  again.  But  once 
more  they  awoke,  and  this  time  hastened 
to  see  what  the  trouble  really  was.  The 
building  was  in  flames.  By  this  time  lit- 
tle Lawrence  awoke,  and,  seeing  the  dan- 
ger, ran  hastily  and  alone  to  the  great 
mission  bell,  and,  ringing  it  fast  and  loud, 
awoke  the  missionary's  family  and  the 
people  of  the  town,  who  came  rushing  to 
their  aid.  This  boy  is  now  one  of  the 
strongest  of  his  age  in  the  school,  and  is 
one  of  the  chief  workers. 

Allen,  too,  has  a  history.  His  motJ^er 
(a  woman  of  the  Hoochinoo  tribe,  living 
about  ninety  miles  north  of  Sitka)  was  un- 
der torture  for  witchcraft,  having  already 
been  for  some  days  without  food  in  that 
terrible  crouching,  tied-down  position  with 
the  head  drawn  back  and  lashed  to  a  short 
stake  in  the  ground.  One  night  the  boy 
at  last  completed  his  secret  arrangements 
for  her  deliverance.  Stealing  softly  out 
into  the  darkness,  he  cut  loose  all  the 
thongs  that  bound  his  mother,  and  hurried 
her,  with  her  little  babe,  down  to  the  wa- 
ter's  edge,  when,  stowing   them   into   the 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


2%\ 


canoe  which  he  had  secured  for  ^y^  (ittZk- 
<;ion,  they  pushed  off  and  paddW  im  i\\(^\x 
lives,  hunted  to  the  death  all  ijjov^  k>n^ 
nicr-hts.  Against  the  tide,  in  hun^^rf,  |>^tin 
and  weariness,  they  reached  Sitk;^  ^t-X'^, 
where  the  mother  found  at  least  '4.  it/'mpo- 
rary  shelter  wath  the  Indians,  and  \w.f  Wave 
little  son,  I  am  so  glad  to  say,  Urnai^  a 
home  in  Sheldon  Jackson  Instituitxj^ 

Moses  Jamestown  is  another  l^^yy  to 
whom  this  Home  has  been  as  a  (Ciiiiy  of 
refuge.  Having  been  left  an  ox^^l^n  af>d 
to  an  Alaska  orphan's  fate,  he  W^A  H/y  .Hitka 
from  Hoonyah  and  from  slavery,  Vmt  the 
curse  (which  proved,  at  last,  a  bl<ti>^ir^^,  as 
so  many  curses  do)  followed  \\m%  '4n(\  he 
was  accused  of  witchcraft.  Hit?  l/yrture 
had  begun,  but  as  the  hour  for  \m  f^c^tw- 
tion  approached  his  rescuers  <:Mm*.  from 
the  U.  S.  S.  Jamestown,  then  ^H^Hji^med 
here,  and  whose  commanding  offsK^^  had 
just  learned  of  the  poor  boy's  jxifiit  The 
rhild  was  taken  on  board  ship  nni^l  the 
Ffome  was  opened,  when  he  waj>  \%%n(\(i<S 
(wtr  to  the  guardianship  of  th<^  /*i)ii<^J^n- 
ary,  Mr.  Austin. 


282 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


The  present  house,  thougli  a  large  one, 
is  but  a  nucleus  for  the  several  hoped-for 
buildings  to  be  grouped  about  it  as  the  way 
and  means  open  and  increase.  For  it  is 
designed  to  make  this  the  principal  trade- 
school  of  Alaska.  Sitka,  as  you  know,  oc- 
cupies the  central  position,  geographically, 
among  the  Presbyterian  missions  of  Alas- 
ka; and  although  a  Home — and  a  good 
Home — at  each  of  the  stations  seems  a 
necessity  to  the  best  progress  of  the  work, 
yet  it  would  seem  to  be  a  wise  economy  to 
concentrate  force  so  far  as  to  provide  the 
best  facilities  for  the  teaching  of  trades  in 
the  one  and  centrally  located  school,  to 
which  all  may  have  access  as  the  pecu- 
liar tastes  and  aptitudes  of  the  children 
are  discovered  in  each  mission  by  its  own 
teachers.  .  .  .  Carrie  M.  Willakd. 


To  the  Sabbath-School  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  East  Springfield,  New  York. 


Chilcat  Mission, 

Haines,  Alaska,  May  S,  i88.;. 


My    Dear   Friends:    Can   you    imagine 
the  joy  of  being  able  at  last  to  write  "at 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


283 


home "  ?  You  can  hardly  appreciate  it, 
and  our  every  moment  is  too  full  to  try 
to  tell  you  what  it  is. 

We  reached  Haines  on  Sabbath,  April 
8,  after  a  voyage  of  about  four  days,  hav- 
ing- taken  the  steamer  on  the  4th  inst.  We 
had  had  about  two  weeks  of  perfect  weath- 
er, the  air  balmy,  the  sun  warmly  bright  and 
the  sea  a  glassy  calm.  How  we  longed 
to  be  on  the  way  !  At  length,  on  March 
31  (Saturday),  the  Rose  made  her  trial- 
trip,  during  which  it  was  discovered  that 
her  new  condensing-pipes  were  altogeth- 
er insufficient,  and  so,  for  the  third  time, 
it  was  necessary  to  beach  her.  Monday 
morning  found  her  again  on  the  sands, 
when  the  old  machinery  was  replaced, 
and  on  Tuesday  we  were  rejoiced  at  re- 
ceiving word  that  our  freight  would  be 
taken  on  next  day.  Tuesday  night  came  on 
with  heavy  rain,  which  continued  with  raw, 
chilling  winds  throughout  the  three  days 
following.  In  spite  of  the  best  care  which 
I  could  give  them,  both  little  ones  took 
heavy  colds  during  the  packing.  Every- 
thing got  wet  in  going  down  to  the  boat, 


284 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


and  we  ourselves  tramped  down  through 
the  rain  with  two  sleepy  babies  and  bun- 
dles innumerable  that  Wednesday  night 
at  ten  o'clock.  That  was  the  hour  of  hicrh 
tide,  the  only  time  that  we  could  get  down 
from  the  dock  to  the  little  boat.  The  only 
stateroom  on  the  Rose  opens  out  upon 
deck ;  very  open  as  to  weather,  but  very 
close  as  to  air.  It  measures  six  by  eight 
feet,  with  three  bunks  on  each  side,  the 
only  v/indow  a  skylight  of  two  panes.  On 
the  voyage  down  I  had  preferred  the  open 
deck  at  nicrht,  when  the  waves  and  rain 
both  wet  us,  but  this  time,  by  dint  of  good 
management  in  stepping  out  to  turn  around, 
and  by  waiting  without  until  some  of  the 
party  were  stowed  away  in  their  bunks,  we 
all  six  succeeded  in  finding  shelter.  V/e 
had  to  furnish  our  own  pillows  and  bed- 
clothing,  which  after  the  trip  to  the  boat 
were  damp  enough  to  begin  with ;  but  the 
rain  came  through  both  roof  and  sides. 
We  could  not  leave  the  wharf  till  low  tide, 
at  4.20  A.M.,  because  that  would  bring  us 
into  the  rapids  at  next  high  tide — the  only 
time  possible  for  us  to  get  through  them 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


285 


out  into  the  open  channel.  At  last,  4.20 
came.  We  left  Sitka  in  the  gray  light 
Thursday  morning,  and  reached  the  rap- 
ids at  eleven  o'clock,  when  we  found  that 
we  had  missed  going  through  with  the  tide 
by  just  twenty  minutes.  We  steamed 
away  for  an  hour,  but  barely  holding  our 
own,  making  no  headway  at  all.  There 
was  nothing  for  it  but  to  throw  out  our 
anchor  and  await  the  next  rise,  at  three 
p.  M.,  which  we  did,  and  at  a  little  after  that 
hour  were  rushed  into  Peril  Strait,  where  we 
found  rough  water  and  had  all  we  could  do 
to  reach  Lindenburg  Harbor.  Even  then 
we  were  so  tossed  about  that  I  lost  my  bal- 
ance and  fell  into  real  sea-sickness.  The 
rain  still  came  down,  and  our  beds  were 
wet ;  but  the  night  passed,  though  the 
storm  continued  until  the  afternoon,  when 
the  clouds  lifted  a  little  and  the  wind  fell. 
Taking  up  anchor  at  four  p.  m.,  we  ran 
boldly  out  to  the  channel,  when,  after  a 
mile  or  so,  it  was  found  that  a  pin  was 
loose  in  the  engine,  and  we  stopped  to  fix 
it.  This  proved  to  be  only  a  trifling  hin- 
drance ;  but  when  we  looked  about  again, 


286 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


the  fog  had  gathered  so  thick  as  positively 
to  drive  us  back  to  our  shelter  in  the  little 
harbor,  where  we  lay  at  anchor  until  three 
o'clock  on  Saturday  morning. 

In  the  afternoon  the  men  took  the  small 
boats  and  went  ashore  for  water,  wood  and 
clams.  Mr.  Willard  took  Miss  Matthews 
and  our  little  Indian  girl  to  secure  speci- 
mens of  the  lovely  moss  and  shells  which 
we  could  see  from  deck.  The  clam-beach 
was  perfect,  and  the  island  woods  and  moss 
were — well,  like  the  woods  and  moss  of 
Alaska — deep,  dense  and  grand,  while  the 
different  kinds  of  starfish  and  sea-urchins 
looked  like  great  flowers.  The  real  flow- 
ers were  full  of  fragrance  that  spoke  sweet 
things  of  springs  long  agone  in  the  dear 
old  home-land.  So  another  night  settled 
down  upon  us  by  the  way — the  very  night 
which  we  had  dearly  hoped  would  bring 
us  home.  But  God  had  been  guiding  us 
and — hindering  us;  for — do  you  know? — 
had  we  been  twenty  minutes  earlier  and 
made  the  tide  at  the  rapids,  we  should  have 
been  hurled  into  Peril  Straits  with  a  storm, 
and  perhaps  never  have  reached  a  harbor. 


LIFE    IN  ALASKA. 


287 


Then,  afterward,  had  we  not  been  detained 
near  a  place  of  safety  until  the  fog-bank 
arose,  we  would  have  been  surrounded  by 
rrreat  danc^er. 

The  rain  had  ceased,  the  sea  was  quiet, 
and  we  but  waited  to  have  our  way  made 
plain  before  us.  Here  and  there  a  star 
twinkled  through  in  the  zenith,  but  around 
and  about  us  the  gray-white  wall  was  im- 
penetrable until  near  morning.  We  took  up 
anchor  at  three  o'clock  on  Saturday  morn- 
ing. The  sun  arose  a  little  uncertainly, 
but  by  noon  had  declared  himself  master 
of  the  day,  and  we  were  able  to  open  the 
door  of  our  little  ark  and  venture  out  on 
deck.  After  all,  we  said,  we  had  had  more 
of  solid  comfort  than  we  had  on  the  great 
fine  steamer  Dakota  from  San  Francisco 
two  years  ago ;  and  we  like  the  little  Rose, 
with  its  free  meals  any  time  you  may  be 
able  to  eat,  and  its  cozy  kitchen-fire,  where 
babies  can  be  warmed  and  fed  without  in- 
sulting the  cook. 

Lindenburg  Harbor  is  but  a  few  miles 
from  Chatham  Straits ;  so  we  were  soon  in 
that  broad  channel,  whose  waters  only  a  few 


inn 


LIFE   INT  ALASKA. 


hoors  before  must  have  been  in  a  fury,  but 
fif)»w  were  so  placid  and  smooth  as  to  give 
f>a€k  reflections  like  a  looking-glass.  Cross 
Sf>iind  and  Hoonyah  Mountains,  in  the  dis- 
tance, were  like  grounds  of  enchantment. 
Billowy  clouds  and  snowy  peaks  touched 
with  the  pink  and  gold  of  strengthening 
«^<r/light  were  easily  transfigured  into  cas- 
tl^Tft  with  battlements  and  towers,  while  the 
!W)»ft  green  of  sky  and  water  brought  them 
imX,  in  charming  relief. 

As  we  sighted  Hoonyah  Point,  Mr. 
Willard  asked  little  Katch-keel-ah  (Carrie 
VntA  Wallace)  if  she  would  like  to  go  in 
tb^^re.  Her  "  No,  sir !"  was  quick  and 
|yaihetic.  It  was  her  old  home,  and  she 
said,  "  My  heart  too  sick  to  think  about 
^o  to  Injun  again." 

The  day  passed  in  beauty  and  in  swift, 
quiet  sailing.  Just  as  the  sun  was  setting, 
in  fiviich  glory  as  is  never  seen  elsewhere,  it 
^■rems  to  me,  we  entered  Lynn  Channel. 
Pa!%!%ing  Cross  Sound  on  the  left  hand  and 
Vmnx.  Retreat  on  the  right  (which  are  re- 
!(>[>«€tively  the  open  gateway  of  Hoonyah 
and  the  signpost  of  Juneau's  min' :.  i,  we 


I.irE    /N  Af.ASh'A. 


289 


wciH*  within  the  close?,  i^rand  passage  wliich, 
ahiiost  without  a  break  in  its  mountain- 
wall,  leads  to  our  front  doo»*  on  Portat^e 
Ikiy.  1  cannot  tell  you  what  a  1<  elini^  took 
possession  of  us  as,  leavin^^  all  the  world 
behind,  we  entered  this  i^rcat  hallway  of 
our  own  dear  ChiU:at  country  Oh  the  joy 
oi  oretdnof  back  to  it  at  last !  All  the  suffer- 
inof  we  ever  endured  in  it  was  as  nothinof 
compared  to  that  of  beingr  kept  out  of  it  so 
lono-,  away  from  our  people  and  our  work. 
May  God  as  richly  bless  to  the  people  our 
return  as  we  feel  that  he  blesses  us  in 
brinirinir  us  back  ! 

We  sat  on  deck  watchinj^  the  ever-vary- 
in*^  li_f(ht  and  shade  on  passing  scenes  and 
singing  songs  both  gay  and  sweet  till  the 
purpling  of  the  shadows  and  the  calling 
of  the  gulls  warned  me  that  little  birdies 
should  be  in  their  nests.  I  tucked  mine  in 
then  with  grateful  gladness  at  the  thought 
that  hitherto  our  Father  had  brouofht  us, 
and  thai  another  wakini^  miafht  be  the 
opening  of  our  eyes  on  home. 

But  it  was  not — quite.  As  the  cold 
gray  morning  began  to  steal  through  our 

ID 


290 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


little  skylight  I  became  conscious  of  some- 
thing peculiar  in  our  situation.  I  could  not 
tell  whether  it  was  sound  or  motion  that 
startled  me,  until  there  was  a  bump  and 
a  recoil.  A  sudden  ceasing  of  the  engine's 
noise,  a  hasty  raking  out  of  its  fire,  and  we 
were  sinking — sinking  down  so  gradually 
and  so  almost  imperceptibly  that  1  scarcely 
realized  our  position  until  I  found  Baby 
just  rolling  out  of  his  berth.  I  called  the 
others,  and  Mr.  Willard  went  out  to  see  what 
the  trouble  was.  We  were  lying  at  about 
forty-five  degrees,  and  walking  was  a  feat. 
Little  Carrie,  fortunately,  was  on  the  low 
side  with  Miss  Matthews.  I,  with  baby 
Fred,  was  obliged  to  be  boarded  in  and 
lie  in  the  trough  formed  by  bottom  and 
side.  Just  around  the  lower  point  of  Port- 
age Bay  the  inlet  is  very  wide ;  just  above 
are  the  glaciers,  the  Chilcoot,  the  Dy-ya 
and  the  K-hossy  Heen  Inlets,  which,  carry- 
inof  sand  from  the  mountains,  have  at  this 
time  made  large  deposits,  forming  sand- 
fields  of  great  extent,  though  all  are  cov- 
ered at  high  tide.  Still,  close  to  the  rocky 
western  shore  there  is  a  channel  throucrh 


^^^■'■^ 


^fc*ii3i; 


***&  • 


'.ft,'     *Si- 


?^^ 


ALASKA   MOUNTAIN-SCKNEKY. 


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LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


293 


all  tides  wide  and  deep  and  strong;  our 
pilot  had  missed  it,  and  the  tide,  fast  run- 
ning out,  left  us  lying  on  a  hill  four  miles 
from  home.  Every  object  was  familiar; 
we  were  at  home,  yet  not  in  it. 

We  rolled  around  till  afternoon,  when 
high  tide  took  us  off,  and  we  came  safely 
into  harbor  just  in  time  to  see  the  people 
going  from  the  litde  schoolhouse,  wh.=^re 
Louis  Paul  (who  had  been  down  for  a 
week  from  the  upper  village)  had  been 
having  Sunday-school.  Of  course,  the  In- 
dians crowded  about  on  every  hand,  say- 
ing that  "  they  had  thought  they  should  die 
before  we  came  again."  "  They  had  looked 
for  us  without  sleeping."  "They  needed 
us  so  much !  They  had  had  sickness  and 
trouble,  and  they  had  no  minister."  We 
found  the  men  nearly  all  gone  into  the 
Stick  country  (the  interior)  packing  for 
the  miners ;  some  were  at  the  cannery- 
building  across  the  Chilcat  River.  They 
had  taken  up  the  little  bodies  that  were 
buried  a  year  ago  and  burned  them.  They 
did  not  have  nearly  as  much  snow  this  win- 
ter.    Still,  they  wanted  us  back. 


294 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


By  the  following  Sabbath  we  had  cleaned 
out  the  schoolhouse,  made  some  new  benches, 
washed  the  windows,  put  up  short  curtains 
of  muslin  and  Turkey  red,  hung  the  nice 
charts  and  pictures,  torn  out  the  old  box- 
pulpit  and  set  in  its  place  the  good  Estey 
organ  sent  us  by  the  Little  Leaven  Band 
of  Monmouth,  Illinois,  and  had  everything 
in  good  order  for  Sabbath  service  and  for 
school  on  Monday. 

On  Sabbath  morning,  long  before  time, 
the  people  were  washed,  dressed,  waiting  for 
the  bell.  We  had  a  full  and  eager  house  ; 
for  on  the  Friday  night  before  the  men  had 
returned.  We  saw  on  every  hand  the  evi- 
dences of  earnings  v/ell  spent — new  shawls 
and  prints  on  wives  and  children,  new  cloth 
suits  on  some  of  the  boys  and  men.  Quite 
a  number  of  upper-village  people  had  come 
down.  The  "Murderer"  was  there  with  a 
nicely-fitting  suit  of  black  cloth,  new  hat 
and  boots,  and  a  faultlessly  white  shirt- 
front,  with  a  standing  collar,  cravat  and 
gold  buttons.  He  looked  quite  a  gentle- 
man, and  I  am  glad  to  say  is  behaving 
more    like    one.      He    had    been    bitterly 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


m 


;rly 


opposed  to  having  a  teacher  ai  th^.  upper 
village ;    he  wasn't  any  afraid  <4  thfi  sol- 
diers  getting   there   to   ch(ick  Jm  ^>urse. 
Fie   boasted   that   he  was    but  wMn^   to 
get  us   few  whites  together  t/>  k'M  us  all 
at  once,  and  that  he  would  not  }i^^#^  h  teach- 
er at  Clok-won.    When  Louis  ao4  'liitlie,  the 
native  teachers,  went  there,  h<i  )^4^tr  them 
much  annoyance,  and  at  last  t<x>ik  ji^<^  hand- 
bell from  the  boy  who  was  ringiia^  iifi  nlvrou gh 
the  village  for  school,  declaring  |lHi?tt  they 
should  have  no  more  school.     HKyiwe  time 
after,  Louis  went  to  hav(t  a  x^Ak  mtk\  him, 
which  resulted   in  the  WwrA^M^/^  confes- 
sion  of  wrong  and  of  his  evjj  iitf))f/:ntions 
toward  the  whites.     He  retun3<-/J  fhe  bell, 
and  turned  himself  so  far  as  U^i  |l>^c/>me  a 
regular  attendant  upon  both  da)'-  ?wrvd  Sun- 
day-schools. 

Mr.  Willard  preached  tliat  <!W^-'  of»  the 
coming  of  the  Lord,  illustrating^  iiit  f>y  our 
own  return.  How  had  they  V<^\A  ikt^:  word 
we  had  given  them  ?  How  sIm/i^iIVJ  the  Sa- 
viour find  them  keeping  his  worKi? 

In  the  afternoon  we  had  l]>«t  (fhildren's 
meeting.     They  recited,  to  tljxi  f^tixi  de- 


296 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


light  of  the  old  people,  their  alphabet,  texts, 
the  twenty-third  psalm,  the  t(!n  command- 
ments,  etc.,  in    both   languages,   and   fifty 
questions    from    the   Catechism,   and  sang 
many  hymns  in  both  English  and  Kling-g(!t. 
Then  we  gave  them  the  nice  papr^rs.     'I'wo 
hours  had   passed  for  the  second  time  in 
service  when  the   benediction  was  given ; 
but  they  sat  dov/n  again,  and  we  sang  an- 
other half  hour.     Still  they  said,  "  We  have 
had  no  church  for  so  long  that  \si\  don't 
want  you  to  send  us  away  at  all ;"  and,  in- 
deed, we  were  loth  to  do  so.     I'ive  or  six 
little  ones  have  died  during  our  absrmcf; ; 
some  have  gone  away ;  others  have*  come 
to  this  village  from  the  oth(*rs ;  and  (jiiite 
a  number  of  dear  little  babies  have  been 
born.     Annie   and  Tillie,  the  little  sisters 
whose  mother  told  me  that  she  would  give 
them  to  the  white  men  if  I  would  not  take 
them,  have  indeed  been  taken  to  Jnn(!au. 
Annie  was  in  seclusion  before  we  left,  and 
I  trusted  that  she  still  might  be. 

This  ountry  is  opening  up  very  rapidly. 
Aside  from  the  gold-interests,  then;  are  be- 
ing built  for  this  season's  salmon  two  can- 


n< 
o 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


297 


neries  on  the  Chilcat  River — one  on  the 
other  side,  one  on  this,  just  across  the  trail. 
Another  party  is  looking  out  for  a  sawmill 
site  here. 

Miss  Matthews  opened  her  school  prompt- 
ly, and  is  doing  thorough  work.  Although 
this  is  a  busy  season  and  the  people  are  on 
the  move  continually,  she  has  had  sixty  or 
seventy  different  pupils,  from  the  baby  of  a 
month  to  the  old  chief,  though  we  didn't 
count  the  babies.  The  people  are  much 
interested  in  the  new  teacher,  but  it  was 
hard  to  make  them  understand  about  her. 
I'm  afraid  they  thought  that  my  husband 
had  been  following  their  own  provident 
plan  in  getting  a  second  wife,  and  they 
kept  asking  me  over  and  over  where  her 
minister  was.  Her  sweet  voice  and  ready 
accompaniments  on  the  organ  charm  the 
people,  and  she  is  fast  winning  a  place 
among  them. 

But,  of  all  the  partv,  I  ^hink  our  litde 
Carrie  is  the  one  most  loved.  From  the 
first  moment  of  our  landing  she  has  been 
the  object  of  smiles  and  pats  and  loving 
admirinfj    remarks,   and    she    herself    has 


I 


298 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


scattered  love  and  smiles  most  prodigally. 
It  often  brings  tears  to  my  eyes  to  watch 
her  among  them.  At  church,  on  Sabbath, 
it  was  both  amusing  and  sweet  to  see  her 
moving  about  before  service  began,  patting 
one  little  one  on  the  head,  dropping  on  her 
knees  beside  another,  smiling  up  into  its 
face.  I  saw  her  wipe  the  nose  of  one,  and, 
stooping  down  in  front  of  another,  hold  its 
hands  while  it  coughed,  as  she  had  seen  me 
do  with  baby  Fred  when  he  had  whooping- 
cough.  Then,  taking  a  little  singing-book, 
opening  it  first  and  feigning  to  read  the 
lesson  herself,  she  held  it  open  to  one  and 
another  of  the  old  people,  reading  aloud 
and  explaining,  with  many  gestures  and 
many  nods  of  the  wise  little  head,  a  few 
Kling-get  words.  But  she  took  her  seat  on 
the  little  platform  in  time  for  service,  and 
remained  quiet  throughout  the  whole  of  it, 
except  at  singing.  She  always  joins  in  that 
with  all  her  heart,  knowing  every  hymn 
after  hearing  it  once  or  twice.  She  seems 
so  little  for  it  all !  She  loves  the  big  .v^a- 
ter,  and  enjoyed  the  trip  home  very  much. 
The  friends  at  Sitka  had  teased  her  about 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


299 


keeping  her  baby-brother  with  them.  Of 
course,  she  had  protested  earnestly,  for  she 
can  scarcely  bear  him  out  of  her  sight.  Al- 
most the  first  thinor  after  we  went  aboard 
she  looked  about  for  Fred,  and,  not  seeing 
him,  so  wrapped  as  he  was  in  blankets,  she 
began  to  call  loudly  for  him.  Then,  turn- 
ing to  me,  she  asked  "  Baby  ooh,  mamma?" 
That  means,  "  Is  he  on  the  boat  ?"  for  she 
names  it  after  the  sound  of  tiie  whistle. 
"  Baby !  Dee,  baby !"  she  called ;  and 
then,  when  I  had  shown  her  where  he  lay 
asleep,  she  called  each  family-name,  to 
make  sure  of  us  all,  and,  turning  to  Fritz 
again,  she  said,  with  her  funny  little  nod 
and  smile,  "  Morning  !  Dee,  baby !  How 
dodo?" 

Baby  too  has  come  into  an  inheritance 
with  this  people.  He  is  just  seven  months 
old.  I  would  not  put  short  dresses  on  him 
until  the  Indians  had  seen  him  in  his  sweet 
white  baby-clothes,  so  different  from  any- 
thing they  ever  saw  before.  Some  of  the 
Chilcat  wives  are  Sitka  women,  and  because 
this  "  beautiful  snow-baby "  was  born  in 
Sitka  they  claim   him  for  their  own  tribe- 


\\ 


!! 


300 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


brother ;  but  the  Chilcats  hold  on  to  him 
bravely,  saying  that  he  is  a  good  Chilcat 
qiia7i  ("people").  Others  say,  "Good-good 
baby ,  half  Chilcat,  half  Sitka  Kling-get." 

The  Indians,  little  and  big,  crowd  before 
every  window.  This  position  has  one  ad- 
vantacre  over  that  of  comincr  into  the  house  ; 
for  when  they  come  in,  they  do  not  always 
feel  at  liberty  to  follow  us  about  from  one 
room  to  another,  but  outside  no  such  deli- 
cacy obtains.  They  see  us  leave  one  room 
for  another,  and,  lo !  they  are  at  its  win- 
dow when  we  enter.  When  I  place  Baby 
where  they  can  see  him,  they  are  perfect- 
ly delighted,  and  watch  him  as  children  at 
home  would  watch  some  rare,  strani^e  ani- 
mal.  Every  movement  of  his  chubby  hands 
seems  to  surprise  them ;  and  when  he  coos 
and  laughs,  they  fairly  scream  with  joy, 
while  Kotzie  stands  at  the  window  ges- 
ticuladng  and  talking  Kling-get  at  a  rapid 
rate.  She  never  speaks  a  syllable  of  Eng- 
lish to  an  Indian. 

When  we  came  home,  we  found  an  old 
witch  sheltered  by  the  Dickinsons  and 
heard   her  story.     A  little  boy  had  died ; 


I.ll'E   IN  ALASKA. 


301 


the  medicine-men  declared  that  this  old 
woman  had  bewitched  him.  She  confessed 
that  she  had,  and  that  a  certain  man  in  the 
lower  Chilcat  villaofe  had  been  her  accom- 
plice.  They  were  both  put  to  torture. 
I)on-a-wok,  our  good  chief,  accompanied 
by  Mr.  Dickinson  and  little  Indian  Willis, 
w  ent  over  to  Y'hin-da-stachy  and  compelled 
the  release  of  the  man  after  he  had  been 
starved  for  some  days.  But  the  friends  of 
the  old  woman  kept  the  matter  of  her  tor- 
ture very  secret — so  much  so  that  Mrs. 
Dickinson  did  not  know  of  her  situation 
until  the  eighth  day  of  her  trouble.  Some 
little  girls  told  her  at  school  thai  ,.ie  witch 
had  been  tied,  in  a  nude  condition,  on  a 
bundle  of  the  "devil's  walking-stick"  (the 
most  terrible  nettle  thorn  I  ever  saw ;  the 
slitrhtest  touch  of  one  of  its  thorns  is  like 
the  sting  of  a  hornet),  and  that  she  had 
had  neither  food  nor  water  for  eight  days. 
Mrs.  Dickinson  then  went  down  to  the  hut ; 
but  wdien  her  approach  was  noticed,  the 
witch  was  freed  and  the  briars  covered 
over  with  a  sail.  She  found  the  old  creat- 
ure crouching  by  the  fire,  almost  dead,  and 


y>2 


LIFE   /JV  Af.ASA'A. 


uAi\  them  to  give  the  old  mother  some  food; 
whereupon  they  offered  her  boiled  salmon, 
l>iit  her  tongue  was  so  much  swollen  and  her 
tSuroat  so  parched  that  she  could  only  swal- 
\tm  a  little  of  the  water  with  which  the  fish 
Iwid  been  cooked.  Afterward  Mrs.  Dick- 
itt!=ion  had  her  come  to  their  house,  and 
hcixrd  her  story  fully  from  her  own  lips. 
She  is  a  weird  old  crone.  Had  I  been 
called  upon  to  say  which  of  all  the  r>  pie 
might  be  the  witch,  I  should  at  once  have 
|>f>mted  her  out.  When  she  came  to  church, 
fthe  always  sat  looking  half  dazed  and  mum- 
Ming  to  herself.  She  was  the  first  person, 
1  l>elieve,  to  whom  I  told  the  story  of  Jesus 
after  we  landed  that  July  day  two  years  ago. 

"  What  made  you  tell  that  lie  and  say 
iFat  you  killed  that  boy?"  Mrs.  IJickinson 
a«>kt;d  her. 

'*  It  was  no  lie,"  the  witch  said ;  "  I  did 
make  him  die.  And  plenty  more  people  I 
make  die  too." 

Mrs.  Dickinson,  not  believing  that  she 
meant  what  she  said,  questioned  her  still 
ler.  and  in  reply,  as  nearly  as  I  could 


ftirthe 


gather,  this  is  what  she  said 


1. 1  IK    IN  ALASKA. 


303 


"  I  am  old  woman  ;  I  no  ^ood  any  mon*. 
I  plenty  sick,  plenty  tired.  Minister  come 
here ;  I  go  to  church.  I  no  hear  his  words 
in  my  heart ;  just  like  to  me  nonsense.  I 
go  outside  and  sit  down  in  bushes.  Spir- 
its tell  me,  '  God  no  good ;  he  not  strong. 
Devil  very  strong;  he  make  all  people  do 
bad ;  he  make  people  die.  It  better  you 
work  for  him.'  I  think  about  another  world ; 
I  don't  know  if  it  happy  or  sorry — only  just 
another  world.  I  want  to  begin  all  over 
again  ;  better  everybody  begin  again.  It's 
better  I  help  the  devil  and  everybody  to 
new  world.  Spirits  talk  hard  to  me  ;  I  lis- 
ten in  bushes.  Then  I  say,  *  Yes,  I  work 
for  devil.'  I  take  dirty  string  off  some- 
body's neck,  and  little  bit  of  salmon  some- 
body spill  out  of  mouth ;  take  little  rag  off 
little  woman's  dress ;  cut  little  hair  off 
somebody's  head.  All  easy,  quiet,  so  no- 
body see ;  nobody  know  anything.  I  hide 
it  quick.  By  and  by  nobody  knows.  I 
steal  away  to  medicine-man's  dead-house. 
Devil  strong  then  ;  he  tak  .  ..le.  I  put  on 
just  one  old  ragged  skirt,  and  bit  of  blan- 
ket on  shoulders  ;  tlicn  I  go  inside.     I  hide 


i 


304 


LfFR   IN  A L ASK' A. 


all  bits  of  String,  tish,  rag,  hair,  in  blanket. 
Now  all  these  people  going  to  die.  Maybe 
in  one  year ;  maybe  two,  maybe  five,  years. 
By  and  by  boy  dies ;  I  know  I  make  him 
die.  Then  my  heart  looks  very  wicked. 
In  the  night  I  pray,  '  O  God,  let  nobody 
see  po  much  wickedness  in  my  heart.'  I 
very  much  'fraid.  Next  day  everybody  see 
all  my  wickedness ;  they  know  all  how  I 
'witched  people.  Then  I  know  little  bit 
God  strong,  'cause  I  tell  him  no  let  any- 
body see  my  heart ;  he  show  all  people. 
I  say,  *  Yes,  I  make  him  die.  You  go  with 
me  to  dead  medicine-man.  I  take  all  pieces 
out ;  I  show  you.'  We  all  go  to  dead-house. 
I  say,  '  Devil  very  strong.  I  go  in  ;  you  no 
tie  me.  You  never  see  me  any  more.  Tie 
strong  rope  round  me  ;  hold  fast.'  I  show 
the  people  all  the  pieces.  Then  everybody 
'fraid :  many  people  going  to  die ;  and  they 
tie  me  strong  on  thistles.  They  give  me 
nothing  to  eat,  nothing  to  drink.  By  and 
by  I  'most  die.  Just  then  like  little  hole  for 
litrht.  First  I  think  God  no  stroncr;  then  I 
find  God  very  strong,  i  think  better  work 
for  devil,  but  I  sit  on  devil's  walkin<r-stick. 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


305 


^J  Starve.  I  see  just  little  ;  no  good  to  work 
for  devil.  Now  I  see  more  ;  big  light  hole. 
Just  like  I  old  blind  woman  sit  in  dark  long 
time.  Now  light  come ;  I  want  to  work  it 
no  more  for  devil." 

The  straight  road  to  their  spirit-world  is 
over  two  hifrh  mountains  and  the  interven- 
ing  valley.  When  the  shore  of  the  great 
water  is  reached,  the  rocks  are  seen  to  be 
crowded  with  spirits  waiting  to  be  taken 
over  to  the  beautiful  island,  which,  though 
so  far  away,  is  plainly  visible,  with  its  in- 
habitants, whose  attention  these  waiting 
souls  vainly  try  to  gain  by  shouting.  But, 
wearied  with  watching,  one  no  sooner  be- 
gins to  yawn  than  the  faintest  sound  of  it 
is  heard  and  heeded  in  the  island,  and  a 
canoe  is  immediately  sent  to  carry  the 
sleeping  spirit  to  its  final  home.  It  is  cir- 
culated throughout  the  country  that  during 
the  past  winter  a  man  who  died  in  Sitka 
came  back  long  enough  to  tell  the  people 
that  they  must  burn  more  food  and  cloth- 
ing and  turn  out  more  water  on  the  fire 
when  their  friends  die,  that  they  may  have 
more  comfort  in  the  other  world,  and  that 
20 


li 


3o6 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


all  who  adhered  to  die  traditions  of  their 
fathers  were  the  favored  one^  in  the  next 
life;  they  sat  close  about  the  warm,  bright 
fire,  while  those  who  follow  the  new  Christ- 
religion  were  their  slaves  and  sat  back  in 
the  dark,  cold  corners. 

I  must  tell  you  of  Rebecca,  the  mother 
of  Willis.  Her  first  husband,  who  died 
when  Willis  was  a  baby,  was  a  brother 
of  Don-a-wok.  She  afterward  married 
again  and  bore  t^  o  daughters  and  a  son, 
when  their  father  died.  About  that  time 
she  was  out  in  the  woods  where  men  were 
felling  trees.  She  had  taken  a  seat  on  a 
fallen  lofj,  when  the  tree  on  which  the  men 
were  at  work  suddenly  crashed  upon  her, 
doubling  her  under  it.  They  took  her  out 
and  carried  her  home,  unable  to  help  her- 
self at  all ;  they  thought  her  back  was 
broken.  For  several  years  she  lay  a  help- 
less invalid,  but  one  glad  day  she  heard 
the  story  in  her  own  dark  hut  of  Jesus  as 
the  great  Saviour  and  Healer,  of  his  cur- 
ing the  sick  of  old,  and  she  said,  "  He  is 
the  same,  isn't  he?  He  says,  too,  *Ask 
of  me,  and  I  will  give  you.*  "     She  began 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


307 


at  once  to  pray  for  her  own  recovery,  and 
from  that  clay  she  began  to  gain  strength, 
until  she  walked — not  only  about  her 
house,  but  to  church  here,  a  distance  of 
four  and  a  half  miles.  Last  winter  a  mean, 
disgusting,  worthless  blind  man  took  it  into 
his  head  to  marry  her,  and  tormented  her 
for  months.  At  last  she  spoke  to  me  about 
it,  asking  what  she  ought  to  do.  She  at- 
tended school  and  church,  and  could  not 
bear  to  give  them  up ;  and,  besides,  she 
disliked  the  man  very  much.  She  said 
that  he  was  rich,  while  her  father  was  poor 
and  had  to  support  her  and  her  children. 
That  troubled  her.  And  then  the  fellow 
said  he  would  surely  kill  himself  if  she  re- 
fused. I  told  her  what  a  Christian  mar- 
riacre  was,  and  charo^ed  her  to  be  brave 
enough  to  do  right — if  she  .loved  the  man, 
to  go  ;  if  she  did  not  love  him,  to  refuse 
him  through  everything.  She  wished  me 
to  exact  from  him  the  promise,  should  he 
ever  come  to  talk  with  me  about  it,  that 
he  would  put  nothing  in  the  way  of  her 
Cfoinof  to  church  and  school  if  she  should 
marry  him. 


308 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


Not  a  great  while  after  this  the  wretch, 
accompanied  by  a  crowd  of  his  relations, 
went  to  her  father's  house  and  rehearsed 
the  whole  matter:  "She  was  poor;  he 
was  rich.  She  was  dependent,  with  her 
children,  on  her  poor  old  father,  who  would 
soon  die ;  he  would  make  her  independ- 
ent." She  withstood  this.  Then,  "  If  she 
did  not  marry  him,  he  would  go  to  the 
woods  and  die."  Here  his  mother  and 
sisters  broke  into  hideous  crying,  entreat- 
ing her  to  save  their  dear  one ;  still  she 
would  not  consent.  At  last  they  said, 
"  Well,  he  will  kill  himself.  We  will  come 
on  your  old  father  for  his  life ;  he  shall 
pay  it."  In  desperation  then,  she  said, 
"  Go  to  the  minister ;  if  they  tell  me  to 
marry  you,  I  will."  Immediately,  with  one 
of  his  friends,  he  came  to  us  and  said  that 
Rebecca  wished  our  consent  to  her  marry- 
ing him.  As  she  had  requested,  I  asked 
him  if  he  would  ever  object  to  her  going 
to  school  if  she  should  consent.  He  prom- 
ised that  h?  would  not,  and  went  back  to 
the  house  with  the  word,  supported  by  that 
of  his  friend,  that  we  told  her  to  marry  him, 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


309 


and  that  if  she  did  not  ^o  witJii  \nm  at  once 
he  would  go  out  and  kill  Mxxw^M..  %\c.  went, 
for  her  father's  sake  and  tliat  </  h/!r  word. 
He  took  her  away  to  his  r\v^^i^;f^%  house, 
where  she  has  been  a  slav<^  it/y  fiiJm.  He 
has  never  since  allowed  hf^j  %(y  <jo  to 
church  or  to  school.  He  Jiaj?  f>^r?iEten  her 
repeatedly,  and  scratched  jjxrf  nhi\\  her 
face  is  terribly  disfigured. 

The  week  after  we  came  hftmt*  .<^lie  came 
up  to  the  house  to  see  us.  ^\^,  h'M\  been 
in  but  a  few  moments,  wheifj  h(^,  came  to 
the  door  and  demanded  her  r^^ijim.  She 
went  with  him  most  obedientil)^ ;;  kit  when 
they  went  into  her  father's  JiJ-^W!^,  he  beat 
her  most  unmercifully.  Wij/ejr^  hcjt  father 
would  have  interfered,  h^  Um\^  an  axe 
to  kill  him.  At  last,  Aro\)im%  that,  he 
put  a  knife  to  his  own  \\-\ur4-%  when,  in 
more  terror  than  at  all  the  fi^l,,  Rebecca 
sprang  toward  him  and  caugf,)!  \%  away. 

Mr.  Willard  went  down  ^m\  ''juve.  him 
a  thorough  talking  to.  A^wm^^  other 
things,  he  told  him  that  if  iliKtrf^  was  no 
other  way  of  stopping  it  h^i  wmM  hand 
him  over  to  the  man-of-war  ((i*|yfarn  who 


3IO 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


blew  up  Hoochinoo.  The  fellow  replied 
that  nothing  could  please  him  bc^ttcrr  than 
to  have  the  captain  put  his  head  into  a 
big  gun  and  blow  it  off;  that  he  would  do 
it  himself  if  the  woman  didn't  behave  her- 
self. Then  his  tribe  would  kill  her  and 
come  on  her  father  for  the  rest  of  his 
value.  Such  a  thing  would  please  him 
very  much. 

We  find  the  season  fully  a  month  in  ad- 
vance of  last  year's  spring.  Though  the 
mountains  are  still  white,  here  in  the  low- 
lands flowers  are  springing  on  every  hand 
and  the  air  is  soft  and  full  of  fragrance. 
Birds  are  busy  about  us,  and  we  take 
their  sv/eet  songs  into  our  hearts,  until, 
coming  to  the  tongue,  they  fmd  expres- 
sion, and  we 

"  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blcssingfi  fl'^w." 

With  much  love,  I  am  truly  your  affec- 
tionate friend,         Carkik  M.  Willakd. 


Chilcat  MissroN, 

Haines,  Alaska,  June  13,  1883. 

Dear  Friends  :  The  steamer  now  comes 
every  month  to  the  salmon-canneries  across 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


3»i 


the  peninsula,  and  leaves  the  mail  there ; 
but  its  stay  is  too  short  to  give  us  oppor- 
tunity to  send  repHes  to  our  letters  by  its 
return.  When  we  hear  from  some  Indian 
that  the  steamer  is  in,  Mr.  Willard  puts  up 
the  mail  and  rushes  over  in  time  to  get  it 
on  board  the  departing  vessel.  Whatever 
of  freight  there  may  be  (or  us  is  left  at  the 
cannery  on  our  side  of  the  river,  and  Mr. 
Willard  has  a  trip  of  thirty  miles  with  our 
little  boat  (the  Adeline)  to  get  it 

We  have  now  at  the  canneries  two  towns 
in  white  tents.  They  employ  several  hun- 
dred white  men.  Most  of  our  people  are 
there,  although  Miss  Matthews  continues 
her  school,  and  on  Sabbath  the  services 
are  well  attended  by  the  people  coming 
over  from  the  canneries. 

We  have  been  obliged  to  take  two  other 
children,  a  boy  and  a  girl,  into  our  family. 
"  Ned,"  the  boy,  is  thirteen.  His  mother 
died  when  he  was  a  baby.  He  is  to  be 
chief  of  the  Ravens,  to  succeed  Cla-not 
and  Don-a-wok,  and  is  a  real  rollicking, 
mischievous  boy.  His  father,  who  idolizes 
his  only  child,  has  begged  us,  ever  since 


312 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


we  first  came  to  Chilcat,  to  take  Ned  and 
make  him  a  good  man.  You  never  saw  a 
man  so  delighted  when  we  did  take  the  boy 
after  our  return  from  Sitka.  He  says  "a 
long  time  his  heart  was  only  sick,  but  now 
all  time  glad  because  of  Ned." 

The  girl,  Ann,  is  sixteen.  Her  mother 
died  when  she  was  a  baby,  and  her  father, 
old,  childish  and  almost  blind,  took  for  his 
second  wife  the  daughter  by  a  former  hus- 
band of  his  first  wife  ;  so  Ann's  stepmother 
is  her  half  sister.  She  came  to  me  a  year 
ago  last  winter,  and  with  tears  asked  me  to 
take  her,  saying  that  she  wanted  so  much 
to  be  good,  but  could  not  be  in  the  Indian 
house ;  that  when  she  would  try  to  pray 
before  going  to  sleep,  her  sister-stepmoth- 
er would  poke  her  up,  saying  that  she  knew 
Ann  was  only  asking  God  to  kill  her.  It 
was  impossible  for  us  to  take  her  at  that 
time,  and  so  I  counseled  her  to  be  patient, 
that  perhaps  God  meant  her  to  lead  her 
people  to  him,  and  that  after  a  while  he 
would  open  the  way  to  a  different  life  for 
her.  She  was  afterward  tempted  to  lead 
an   evil  life,  being  told,   when  the   miners 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


m 


came,  that  she  was  a  great  fool  for  going 
to  school  and  studying,  when  she  might 
make  money  so  easily.  Her  reply  was 
that  she  had  learned  too  much  of  God's 
word  willingly  to  do  wrong  now.  This 
spring,  when  the  people  went  to  the  can- 
neries, she  did  not  want  to  go,  but  she  did 
not  then  ask  us  to  take  her.  After  a  few 
days  she  came  back,  saying  that  she  had 
seen  so  much  evil  that  she  was  afraid ;  she 
wanted  to  be  good :  wouldn't  we  let  her 
stay  with  us  ?  Of  course  we  could  not  re- 
fuse her  request,  knowing  how  great  her 
danger  would  be  if  left  exposed  to  tempta- 
tions, and  that  we  might  save  her.  She  and 
Fanny  have  one  end  of  our  spare-room.  .  .  . 
This  seems  particularly  our  work.  The 
people  love  and  confide  in  us,  and  it  is  a 
critical  time  in  their  history  and  that  of  this 
country.  The  people  scarcely  know  where 
they  are  themselves,  but,  trusting  us,  they 
come  and  say,  "You  are  our  father  and 
mother.  You  must  tell  us  what  to  do 
with  the  white  man.  You  must  lead  us 
like  your  little  children."  ... 

Carrie  M.  Willard. 


314 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


Chilcat  Mission, 

Haines,  Alaska,  June  30,  1883. 

Dear  Friends  :  We  have  been  having  a 
soft  rain  for  two  or  three  days.  It  falls  so 
lightly,  so  gently,  and  makes  all  things  so 
beautiful,  that  we  have  listened  to  its  pat- 
ter with  grateful  joy. 

Our  big,  rollicking,  handsome  Indian  boy 
Ned  took  the  canoe  yesterday  and  went 
out  Into  the  bay  for  fish,  and  soon  came 
in  with  a  great  stringful  of  the  delicate 
flounder.  We  ate  them  for  breakfast 
this  morning,  never  dreaming  of  what 
they  cost. 

A  little  before  dinner,  as  Ned  lay  on  the 
floor  beside  the  cradle,  which  he  touched 
now  and  then  for  baby  Fred's  comfort,  there 
was  a  thumping  on  the  kitchen  door,  which 
we  had  barred,  and.  looking  up,  I  saw  our 
second  chief,  Qa-not,  pounding  on  it ;  and 
I  told  Ned  to  go  and  open  the  door.  He 
did  so,  and  in  another  instant  I  heard  a 
rush,  a  scream,  a  thud,  and  I  was  out  my- 
self in  time  to  see  Ned  being  hurled  about. 
When  he  had  seen  the  powerful  man's  face, 
he  jumped  for  the  sitting-room  door,  to  get 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


3»5 


into  a  place  of  safety ;  but  Cla-not  was  too 
swift  and  too  strong  for  him. 

I  quickly  tried  to  demand  the  chiefs  at- 
tention, but,  seeing  that  he  paid  no  more 
heed  than  to  the  wind,  I  laid  my  strength 
to  Ned's  in  trying  to  drag  him  away  and 
make  Cla-not  wait  for  a  talk  with  Mr. 
Willard.  He  marched  the  boy  out  of  the 
door,  however,  threw  him  down,  and  I  think 
would  have  killed  him  had  not  Mr.  Willard 
at  last  heard  the  commotion  and  come  to 
us  with  his  calm  strength.  Walking  close 
up  to  the  angry  man,  a  word  was  passed, 
and  the  boy  was  released ;  and  he  quietly 
stole  into  the  house  behind  Mr.  Willard  as 
he  stood  talking  with  Cla-not.  It  seems 
that  Cla-not  was  punishing  Ned  for  bring- 
insf  on  the  rain,  for  he  had  heard  from  the 
boy  who  had  accompanied  Ned  yesterday 
that  the  latter  had  killed  a  fish  which  it  was 
a  trouble  to  keep  in  the  canoe  by  hitting  it 
on  the  head  with  a  stone,  and  thus  gave 
cause  for  the  continuance  of  the  rain  which 
is  blessing  the  earth  and  bringing  the  ber- 
ries to  beautiful  maturity. 

Cla-not  is   an   exceedingly  mischievous 


3f6 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


man  ;  I  do  trust  that  Ned  and  Paul,  who 
arc  to  succeed  him,  will  have  gained  by 
that  time  much  of  the  knowledge  and  love 
of  Christ. 

We  have  now  three  children  in  our  lit- 
tle Home  at  our  own  expense.  Many  of 
the  good  big  boys,  who  ought  to  be  in 
j^hool,  and  who  could  help  us  in  return  at 
garden-work  to  supply  the  Home  with  veg- 
etables for  winter  use,  and  still  be  learning 
Sf>mething  useful,  have  gone  elsewhere — 
<^>me  to  the  cannery  lately  built  across 
the  bay. 

July  16. — Our  mail  did  not  come  on  the 
j^teamer,  though  Mr.  Willard  waited  till 
eleven  o'clock  at  night  for  its  arrival  this 
^ide  the  rivr-r  and  then  had  his  long  tramp 
through  forest,  brush  and  swamp.  As  he 
came  to  the  brush  he  heard  a  great  bear 
htit  a  few  yards  from  him.  There  are 
plenty  of  bears,  and  they  can  be  seen  al- 
most any  evening  on  the  bare  mountain- 
.^ide. 

Dr.  Corlies  is  at  Juneau  this  summer 
and  will  look  after  our  mail.  Dr.  Jack- 
son's contract  takes  effect  this  month.     The 


LIFE   IN  ALASA'A. 


317 


Steamer  has  the  mail-contract  to  the  other 
points,  and  leaves  our  mail  at  Juneau.  Dr. 
Corlies  takes  it  from  the  office  there  and 
sends  it  by  Indian  canoe  within  a  given 
time  after  the  steamers  departure. 

Those  of  our  people  who  have  not  already 
left  Haines  for  the  canneries,  with  but  few 
exceptions,  are  to  leave  this  week  for  a 
wholesale  trading-raid  on  the  Gun-un-uh, 
or  interior,  Indians,  to  be  gone  some  three 
weeks.  I  think  they  must  be  realizing  that 
their  time  with  them  is  short,  for  they  are 
fitting  out  with  trading-packs  the  little  chil- 
dren of  ten  and  eleven  years,  while  all  the 
women  have  packs  besides  their  babies. 
This  being  the  case,  we  expect  as  soon  as 
possible  to  set  off  for  Clok-won,  the  upper 
village,  where  Louis  Paul  and  Tillie  were. 
We  have  been  very  anxious  for  their  suc- 
cess and  welfare  ever  since  they  came  to 
this  country.  We  gave  them  what  slates 
we  had,  thinking  that,  as  they  were  only 
beginning,  they  could  use  them  to  even 
better  advantage  than  books,  though  we 
divided  with  them  the  books  sent  us.  We 
also  divided  the  Sunday-school  papers  and 


318 


IJFR   IN  ALASKA. 


provided  them  with  blackboard,  chalk  and 
the  hand-bell  that  E^va  sent.  We  have 
shared  our  own  clothes  with  them,  and 
given  everything  for  their  house  we  could 
think  of.  They  have  gone  back  to  Wran- 
gell  by  steamer.  The  experiment  has  been 
well  tried  ;  good  has  been  done.  The  peo- 
ple have  learned  to  want  education,  and 
now  will  be  more  ready  to  receive  it.  The 
house  put  up  for  Louis  is  an  excellent  log 
house,  and  by  taking  down  the  partition 
we  can  make  a  very  good  meeting-house, 
with  a  lodging-room  above,  which  we  can 
use  when  "«"e  go  to  hold  meetings  and 
school. 

Auoust  7. — We  were  aroused  from  sleep 
this  morning  by  the  only  Indian  woman  in 
the  village  tapping  on  the  window  and  call- 
ing Ned.  She  had  been  sent  by  a  party  of 
three  miners  who  were  so  nearly  in  a  nude 
condition  that  they  wished  Mr.  Willard  to 
come  down  to  them  on  the  beach,  and  if 
possible  to  give  them  some  covering  and 
some  food.  They  had  not  had  a  mouthful 
of  anything  since  yesterday  morning,  and 
for  four  days  have  lived  on  only  such  poor 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


319 


' 


little  berries  as  they  could  get,  and  the 
small  black  mussels  which,  at  this  season 
of  the  year,  the  Indians  regard  as  poison- 
ous. They  were  soon  covered  and  brought 
into  the  house — "home,"  as  one  of  them 
said,  where  they  were  experiencing  some- 
thing of  the  delights  which  the  poor  fam- 
ished soldiers  found  when  they  came  home 
from  the  war. 

**  Oh,"  said  one  poor  mother  s  boy  as  he 
grasped  my  hand  at  the  door,  "  I  never  was 
so  glad  to  see  white  people  in  my  life  be- 
fore. When  we  turned  the  point  and  saw 
the  house,  I  told  the  boys  it  was  just  like 
getting  home." 

They  had  stopped  here  for  over  a  week 
as  they  went  to  the  interior,  some  time  in 
May, 

When  *;hey  were  telling  us  of  the  terrible 
hardships  they  had  undergone,  I  said, 

"  What  men  will  go  through  for  money ! 
Some  of  our  friends  felt  that  it  was  a  good 
deal  for  us  to  come  for  the  Indians,  but  see 
how  much  more  you  endure  for  gold." 

They  had  left  behind  four  of  their  num- 
ber, who  were  unable  to  get  farther  than 


320 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


the  headwaters  .of  the  l)y-ya  Inlet — one 
an  old  man  of  sixty  or  seventy  years — and 
Mr.  Willard  is  busy  getting  Indians  off  to 
bring  them  down.  The  men  "ihat  returned 
are  young  and  vigorous,  and  still  hc/J  hard 
work  to  reach  here.  They  a  .vadcd 
streams  where  the  curre:it  took  them  off 
their  feet  and  swept  them  far  down  the 
rapids.  At  last  they  found  a  little  canoe, 
which  had  been  hidden  by  other  miners 
when  they  went  in  last  spring,  and  pad- 
dled against  heavy  head-winds  till  one 
o'clock  that  night,  when,  exhausted  and 
famishing,  they  made  the  shore,  drew  their 
canoe  above  what  they  thought  high-wp  «.i 
mark,  lay  down  on  the  sands  and  we^  i  o 
sleep.  When  they  awole,  it  was  to  fmu 
that  they  had  been  visited  by  so  high  a 
tide  that  their  boat  was  gone,  and,  from 
the  strong  wind,  there  was  no  doubt  that 
it  had  been  blown  back  to  '  he  head  of  the 
inlet.  It  was  impossible  to  reach  ■  by 
foot,  so  they  were  obliged  to  retrace  r  ■^'ir 
weary  steps.  They  then  found  the  truant 
boat  back  at  their  startij\»-plac(;,  and  now, 
after  four  days'  weary  pul  '."g,  wading  and 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


321 


swimming,  they  are  safely  here  with  friends. 
The  channel  is  very  quiet  this  morning,  and 
Mr.  Willard  hopes  to  get  the  other  starv- 
ing men  down  before  long.  They  had 
found  gold  paying  from  fifteen  to  twenty 
dollars  a  day,  but  it  cost  them  twenty  dol- 
lars a  day  to  live. 

A  month  ago  the  party  divided,  these 
seven  men  coming  back,  the  other  four 
going  on  with  the  boat  to  examine  a 
quartz-ledge  on  Pelly  River.  l^hcy  will 
probably  make  their  way  to  Fort  YuKon, 
and  from  there  proceed  by  steamer  to  San 
iM-ancisco.  These  men  say  that  should 
they  attempt  to  return  this  way  they  will 
be  overtaken  by  the  snows,  will  have  no 
food,  and  there  will  be  no  chance  of  their 
reachinor  us  alive. 

Mr.  Willard  sent  Ned  flying  to  the  Kin- 
ney cannery  with  a  note  to  the  foreman 
for  men  to  go  up  the  inlet ;  he  has  just 
received  reply  that  the  people  are  on  a 
strike  and  he  can  get  no  one,  but  will  scmkI 
to  the  other  side,  where  they  can  probably 
be  had. 

The   people  are  almost  crazy  to   make 
21 


322 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


money.  Both  canneries  have  stores,  aii<|l 
prices  have  been  brought  down  to  fairn^s^.. 
At  the  same  time,  the  prices  of  fish  hay(<? 
run  up  till  the  Indians  can  make  hftt^eifji 
dollars  a  day  fishing-.  What  di(,'y  ar*^ 
striking-  for  now  I  do  not  know. 

We  were  much  surprised,  a  week  ag'<>> 
last  Sabbath,  to  fmd,  when  the  steam^jf 
had  arrived  at  the  canneries,  that  INliss 
Rankin,  assistant  matron  at  Fort  Wrang-tilll,, 
was  aboard,  come  to  make  us  a  visit.  ':^\^. 
will  be  here  until  next  steamer,  which  niav 
arrive  by  another  Sabbath.  She  and  Mis:> 
Gould,  of  Hydah,  came  out  last  Septeiiiiv 
ber  with  Miss  Matthews  and  Dr.  Jacks<;ifi).. 
Their  visit  is  very  refreshing.  .  .  . 

A'dgtist  8. — Not  being  able  to  get  the  \u-- 
dians  yesterday,  Mr.  Willard  took  the  Ad- 
eline, with  the  three  tired  and  sore  mio'eir^^^ 
up  the  Dy-ya  for  the  others.  Just  befc;)ir<^ 
they  started,  two  Indians  made  their  ai|>t- 
pearance  and  consented  to  go  with  tJn^iii)).. 
As  they  were  strong  and  understoo  '  j>ull|l- 
ing  an  oar,  I  felt  much  easier.  They  ma^- 
not  be  back  for  ten  days,  in  case  of  he;fK}l 
winds ;  but  if  all  is  fair,  they  may  get  \yM^ 


IJFR  IN  A/.Af>/^4.- 


323 


two  days  hence.      Mr.   WiijllWrcf  took   pro- 
visions with  him. 

I  am  alone  this  morniji^^  mih  t\\(i  babies. 
Miss  Matthews  and  Miss  i<;iiii)fci)|fv  are  spend- 
ing a  day  in  the  grand  old  \jm'-^  ^cxods.  The 
boys  are  ac.  "<s  the  bay  g<;iiti'ft'g  logs  for 
steps  down  to  the  beach  aixj^iliii^i^:  log  boat- 
house,  and  the  girls  1  s<:jjl  ^m  an  errand 
around  the  beach.  They  a^m  '^\\  learning 
well.  The  girls  especially  m^*.  l>ecoming 
very  helpful  in  the  house.  Wi*-  have  them 
take  week  about  at  swee];iij^^  ^^md  chamber- 
work,  with  cooking  and  ^m  care  of  the 
kitchen.  They  do  thes<i  i^iiw^.-^  well  for 
such  young  girls. 

Augtist  10. — Mr.  \\'illar<I  ^cyt  Kack  with 
his  crew  in  the  night.  'W^  fc>und  the 
men  living  and  in  pretty  g/)XP(<J  <^j>irits,  con- 
siderincr  the  fact  that  th<'v  toJ  nothing  to 
eat  for  a  week  save  a  half  t^llworv  that  they 
found  that  had  been  thrown  ;^oo?ty  by  some 
Indians,  and  was  half  dri<xll^  kilr  decayed 
and  made  them  very  sick,  ',m(\  two  fish 
which  afterward  they  sh<>l  '^m(\  managed 
in  some  way  to  get  out  ol  ijii^  w^ltr.  They 
did  not  dare  to  eat  mon-  x\un  krlf  a  fish  ^t 


324 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


a  time,  lest  they  could  j^ot  no  more.  They 
seemed  very  grateful  for  the  helji  Mr.  Wil- 
lard  brought  them.  They  told  how,  when 
so  weary,  they  encouraged  one  another 
with  "  Never  mind,  boys ;  if  we  can  hold 
out  till  we  get  to  the  missionary's,  we'll 
be  all  right.  It's  just  like  home  there." 
And  they  did  hold  out  till  the  next  day 
without  a  morsel  to  eat. 

August  27. — I  must  give  you  a  little  idea 
of  how  we  live.  One  week  Ann  takes  the 
kitchen,  cooking,  washing  dishr;s,  baking, 
etc. ;  Fanny,  the  sweejjing,  chamber-work, 
etc.  At  the  end  of  the  week  they  change. 
In  the  morning — say  Monday,  for  instance 
— while  Fanny  makes  herself  neat  for  the 
getting  of  breakfast,  Ann,  under  my  direc- 
tion, gives  the  living-rooms  a  thorough 
cleaning  and  brightening  up.  Miss  Mat- 
thews has  joined  Fanny  in  th<!  kitchen,  and 
together  they  have  breakfast  on  the  table  in 
the  bright  little  dining-room.  I5y  th(!  time 
I  have  washed  and  dresse*d  the  babies 
the  Indian  children's  plain,  substantial 
breakfast  is  set  in  the  kitchc;n,  and  they 
eat  at  the  same  time  we  do,  always  giving 


(■ 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


325 


•'11 


thanks  and  asking  the  blessing  with  bowed 
heads.  After  the  meal  Ann  takes  up  the 
crumbs  and  goes  to  her  chamber-work, 
while  F'anny  washes  the  dishes  and  tidies 
the  kitchen  and  Ned  saws  wood.  All  be- 
ing through  their  tasks  together,  they  have 
their  study-hours,  and  after  recitations  with 
Miss  Matthews  in  reading,  writing,  spelling 
and  arithmetic,  with  Bible  lesson,  singing 
and  prayer,  I  get  dinner  with  Fanny.  She 
and  Ann  together  do  up  the  dishes,  then 
proceed  to  wash  the  soiled  clothing  of  the 
week.  Then  I  get  su[>per  for  all  by  the 
time  they  have  the  clothes  in  the  last  rinse- 
water.  After  supper  the  girls  scour  table 
and  floor,  making  the  kitchen  shine.  Then 
we  have  family  prayers  and  go  to  bed.  The 
routine  is  varied  as  circumstances  indicate. 
On  another  day  comes  the  ironing,  which 
the  girls  do  together.  I  have  Ned  and 
Ann's  little  brother,  Adam,  who  is  with  us 
a  cfood  deal,  wear  starched  white  and  calico 
shirts  on  purpose  to  teach  the  girls  laun- 
drylng ;  they  have  learned  to  do  them  up 
nicely.  Another  day  they  have  baking, 
and  they  can  bake  excellent  bread.     Then 


326 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


they  have  sevvintr.  I  teach  them  to  cut  and 
fit  their  own  clothing,  and  they  have  learned 
to  sew  on  the  machine  better  than  most 
girls  of  their  ages  at  home.  Last  week  I 
had  them  learning  pants-making — "  real 
American  pants  " — and  knitting.  They 
each  have  knit  them  good  woolen  stock- 
ings. They  go  berrying  and  fishing  and 
make  a  happy  crew.  There  are  many 
items  of  interest  in  connection  with  them 
that  I  wish  I  could  give  you.  I  have  rushed 
along  into  this  subject  because  I  was  so 
troubled  at  your  distress  for  us  that  I 
wished  to  set  your  minds  at  rest.  We 
are  doing,  and  will  do,  just  what  the  Father 
puts  in  our  hands,  and  try  to  trust  results 
of  what  we  do,  with  all  that  we  cannot  do, 
to  Him  who  has  said,  "  Neither  is  he  that 
planteth  anything,  neither  he  that  water- 
eth ;  but  God  who  giveth  the  increase ;" 
and  we  believe  that  even  now  we  are  see- 
ing evidences  of  this  blessing  of  his  Holy 
Spirit  with  our  children  here  and  with  some 
of  our  people. 

We    have   been    trying   to   beautify  our 
glacier  mission  home  this  summer.     After 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


327 


\ 


maklnof  Miss  Matthews'  room  the  best  one 
in  the  house,  Mr.  Willard  and  I  went  next  to 
the  study.  We  had  concluded  that  our  bed- 
room down  stairs  was  not  a  healthful  place, 
especially  for  the  Htde  ones,  and  it  would 
also  make  a  much  more  convenient  study 
and  office  for  Mr.  Willard  than  the  room 
he  has  had  up  stairs ;  so  we  made  the 
change.  Fanny  sewed  up  the  house-lin- 
ing (for  it  is  not  plastered),  of  unbleached 
cheese-cloth,  as  Ann  had  done  for  Miss 
Matthews'  room,  and  we  put  it  on  the 
walls,  with  a  narrow  strip  of  Turkey  red 
for  a  border;  you  wouldn't  believe  what 
a  pretty  effect  it  made.  All  the  carpet  I 
could  put  together  was  not  enough,  but  in 
Miss  Matthews'  Christmas  box  from  home 
was  a  piece  of  red-and-black  linsey-wool- 
sey, which  she  gave  me  as  a  border.  I  had 
also  some  thin  red  flannel,  which  I  cut  into 
two  straight  curtains  and  hung  on  a  carved 
Indian  totem-stick  for  the  window  toward  the 
bay.  Then  we  have  a  long  shelf  with  red 
lambrequin  for  bric-^-brac,  and  underneath 
a  long  bright-cushioned  ^ox  for  settee  and  to 
hold  bedclothing.    The  study  is  more  unique. 


328 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


The  floor  is  covered  with  fur  robes ;  chair, 
ditto ;  rough  board  walls,  in  part  ditto  ;  with 
a  cross-legged  table  covered  with  green  oil- 
cloth, of  Mr.  Willard's  manufacture,  as  are 
also  the  chairs,  bookcase  and  medicine- 
case.  One  end  of  the  room  is  taken  up 
with  book-  and  medicine-cases ;  the  latter 
is  a  cracker- box  set  upright  on  legs,  stained 
a  dark  brown,  with  the  lock  and  hinges  of 
bright  brass,  and  on  its  long  door  I  painted 
a  little  scene  of  water  tumblino-  down  over 
gray  stones  among  flowers,  ferns  and  moss. 
Across  the  corner  stands  my  easel.  On 
the  wall  hangs  an  ornamented  squirrel- 
robe  ;  crossed  above  it  are  two  great  Indi- 
an bows,  and  from  them,  hanging  over  the 
robe,  a  quiver  of  arrows.  Then  there  is  a 
camp-chair,  and  a  little  black  bearskin,  lined 
with  old  red  flannel,  on  the  floor.  In  front  of 
the  table  lies  a  large  marmot  robe,  on  which 
stands  the  study-chair  (home-made),  cov- 
ered with  another  squirrel-robe.  At  one 
side  of  the  window  next  the  bay  is  the 
gunshop.  A  box  holding  the  ammunition 
is  covered  with  a  skin,  and  on  its  top  is  a 
huge  stone  washbowl,  given  us  by  Shat-e- 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


329 


ritch  as  a  valuable  relic.  In  it,  on  a  little 
minkskin,  stand  the  oruns — rifle  and  shot-Pfun 
— leaning,  at  the  top,  into  the  arms  of  polished 
deer-horns  that  Mr.  Willard  mounted  on 
yellow  cedar.  From  branches  of  the  horns 
hang  the  Colt's  revolver  and  its  Apache 
belt  given  him  by  a  miner,  and  Mr.  Wil- 
lard's  own  little  revolver,  brought  from 
home.  Scattered  about  on  the  walls  are 
sketches  of  Alaska  scenery  in  oil,  and  the 
painting  of  "  The  Virgin  of  Light "  with 
the  plaster  foot.*  A  very  good  bust  of 
Shakespeare,  given  us  by  a  friend,  looks 
down  from  among  the  books. 

For  out-of-door  exercise,  I  have  taken 
Kotzie  and  the  Indian  children  and  worked 
on  both  the  Home  lots  and  our  own.  We 
have  made  a  nice  wide  grav^v-.valk  from 
the  porch  down  to  the  beach,  with  two 
flights  of  terrace-steps.  It  remains  to  be 
finished  to  the  schoolhouse.  We  have 
beautiful  house-plants — calla-lily,  roses,  ge- 
raniums, heliotrope,  fuchsias,  etc. — which 
have  bloomed  profusely. 

*  A  freehand    crayon   sketch  which    gained    Mrs.  Willard's 
admission  as  a  pupil  in  the  Academy  of  Design  in  New  York. 


330 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


We  have  eaten  of  the  Indian  apples  this 
summer — the  queerest  Httle  things,  about 
the  size  of  red  haws  and.  looking  like  them  ; 
but  the  seed  is  more  like  the  quince,  and 
they  taste  very  much  like  tiny  green  apples. 
1  do  think  that  grafts  would  gro\v  and  bud 
on  them. 

September  3. — Among  the  sup  'itions 
innumerable  of  the  Kling-get  peopiv.  is  that 
regarding  the  owl.  In  a  conversation  with 
some  of  the  children  and  young  people  one 
day,  I  said, 

"  But  then  you  know  that  owls  cannot 
talk." 

"  Oh,"  was  the  ready  reply,  "  they  can't 
talk  'Merican  ;  that's  why  the  snow-people 
think  they  say  nothing.  Just  Kling-get 
they  speak,  and  all  the  Kling-gets  know 
what  they  say.  Alle  same  in  snow-peo- 
ple's country  no  witches ;  snow-people  say 
no  witches  in  Chilcat,  but  Chilcat  Klinof-eet 
see  plenty  witches." 

"  Then  what  is  an  owl  ?"  I  inquired. 

"  Bad  spirit;  alle  same  witches." 

"What  do  they  do?" 

"  Oh,  plenty  bad  ;  no  good  'tall.     All  In- 


LIJ'E   IN  ALASKA. 


331 


juns  much  'fraicl  owl.  Everybody — every- 
body lie  talk  bad  to ;  no  ^ood  words  in 
him.  He  big  thief,  too.  Alle  same  he  put 
this  book  under  his  blanket  and  shut  his 
eyes.  Some  nights  plenty  big  Injun  in 
house.  Old  owl  come  close  by  in  dark 
pine  tree;  he  talk  'ad.  All  Injims  run 
out  house  to  drive  him  away,  'cause  he  tell 
somebody  goin*  dead.  Owl  knows  every- 
thing, but  he  big  coward.  He  plenty  'fraid 
big  Injun.  Just  little  young  ones  he  strong 
take.  Little  woman,  litde  boy,  go  out  by's 
self;  big  owl  turn  him's  heart  up  side 
down." 

Two  Sabbaths  ago  we  had  a  sermon  on 
witchcraft.  After  service  many  of  the 
younger  people  were  gathered  in  the 
kitchen  watching  my  preparations  for  din- 
ner. On  Saturday,  Ned  had  neglected  to 
split  and  house  his  wood  until  it  had  got- 
ten quite  damp  in  the  rain ;  so  that  I  had 
quite  a  tedious  time  getting  the  pot  to  boil, 
and  I  had  occasion  to  look  into  it  aeain  and 


agam. 


"What  is  the  matter  with  it?"  I  said  ;  and 
as  I  raised  the  lid  again,  all  looking  at  me 


33: 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


as  I  did  so,  I  assumed  an  expression  first 
of  surprise,  then,  as  I  peered  into  the 
depths  of  the  unmanageable  fluid,  my  eyes 
became  fixed  and  staring,  opening  w'der  and 
wider.  With  mouth  also  agape,  I  uttered 
the  one  starding  word  "Witches!"  The 
Indians  were  watchin<i-  with  terrified  inte- 
rest;  and  as  their  bodies,  almost  uncon- 
sciously, arose  and  followed  their  gaze,  they 
looked  with  me  into  the  pot  diat  would  not 
boil.  Then,  relaxing,  I  dropped  the  lid  and 
told  them  that  the  witch  1  had  seen  was 
Ned's  neglect  to  get  the  wood  in  dry.  He 
had  left  it  in  the  rain  until  it  was  wet ;  that 
made  the  wood  so  that  I  could  not  ijet  a 
good  fire.  It  was  smoke,  smoke  ;  no  blaze 
in  the  fire  ;  no  boil  in  the  pot.  Then  I  told 
them  that  time  had  been  when  the  white 
people  knew  so  little  that  they — my  own 
forefathers — believed  that  witches  kept 
the  pot  from  boiling.  When  they  had 
learned  better  to  understand  God's  word, 
when  they  had  studied  into  God's  ways — 
into  the  whys  of  things — they  knew  that 
witchcraft  was  nothing  but  foolishness. 
They  had  been  a  great  many  years  in  find- 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


333 


ine  out  the  reasons  for  thing^s  that  showed 
them  the  fooHshness  of  witches,  and  the 
truth  and  goodness  of  God  in  everything. 
The  good  people  did  not  wish  the  Indians 
to  walk  in  darkness  so  long ;  that  was  the 
reason  of  our  coming  to  teach  them  what  we 
had  had  to  find  out.  They  might  learn  fast 
if  they  would  but  believe  the  good  words. 

Philip,  the  young  silversmith,  has  long 
been  a  source  of  wonder  and  joy  to  us. 
Such  earnest  attention  he  has  seemed  to 
pay  to  every  effort  of  ours  to  instruct  him ! 
He  has  a  sad  history,  and  once,  on  a  trip 
from  the  interior,  almost  lost  his  life.  His 
intelligence  and  indomitable  pluck  barely 
saved  him  alive,  with  God's  blessing,  but 
he  lost  all  his  toes  and  all  the  flesh  from  his 
hands  ;  they  are  but  bits  of  drawn-up  bones. 
Yet  he  does  br.iutiful  work  in  silver,  and 
not  only  that,  but  works  at  anything  he  can 
get  when  he  does  not  have  orders  for  carv- 
ing. We  have  had  him  employed  a  good 
part  of  the  summer  in  putting  up  the  boat- 
house  and  in  making  shakes  for  a  wood- 
and-vegetable  house.  He  said  that  he 
would   rath(T  work   for  the  minister    than 


334 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


make  more  money  at  the  canneries,  be- 
cause the  white  men  there  seemed  to  care 
only  about  making  money ;  he  wanted  to 
make  money,  but  he  wanted  to  take  care 
of  his  soul  too,  and  he  knew  that  the  min- 
ister cared  for  it.  It  was  he  who  surprised 
me  one  eveninof  durino-  our  first  winter  here 
by  remarking  to  me  that  I  was  not  lone- 
some because  my  books  miked  to  me  like 
friends.  We  have  felt  that  he  was  very 
near  the  kingdom  of  God — that  he  was 
followincT  the  truth  so  far  as  he  knew  it. 
Imagine,  then,  our  distress,  our  grief  and 
surprise,  when,  a  week  or  two  ago,  we 
heard  he  had  taken  another  wife.  We 
heard  that  at  almost  the  same  time  that 
there  came  to  us  the  news  of  his  great 
rejoicing  over  the  birth  of  his  first  baby- 
girl.  He  came  himself  to  tell  us  how  glad 
he  was  when  the  little  daughter  was  born. 
He  wanted  it  to  be  **all  'Merican  baby,"  he 
said,  and  not  even  to  have  an  Indian  name. 
He  wanted  us  to  have  it  and  to  teach  it 
everything  good.  He  wished  me  to  give 
it  an  American  name,  and  he  wanted  baby 
Fred's  nursing- botde  for  it. 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


335 


But  through  all  Philip's  expressions  of 
happiness  my  heart  was  aching  with  keen- 
ness of  sorrow  for  his  wrong-doing ;  and 
so,  after  we  had  all  sympathized  with  him 
and  his  heart  was  largely  unburdened,  I 
drew  him  away  to  the  sitting-room,  where, 
seating  myself  near  him,  I  said, 

"  Philip,  my  heart  is  very,  very  sick." 

He  looked  into  my  face  with  such  clear 
and  questioning  eyes  so  full  of  pained  won- 
der that  I  almost  hoped  to  find  the  report 
of  his  offence  a^^  a  mistake  ;   but  I  went  on  : 

"You  know  iu)vv,  a  lon^;,  long  time  ago, 
you  told  us  the  story  n'  your  life:  ol  your 
long,  hard  journey  to  the;  north  country; 
of  your  struggles  with  terrible  storms,  in 
going  down  the  awful  snow-slides;  of  the 
big  waves  that  dashed  your  canoe  to  splin- 
ters and  hurled  you  against  the  gr<at  walls 
of  rock;  then  of  how  you  seem  to  die  in 
the  blackness  of  the  waters,  and  at  last  how, 
God  having  brought  you  back  to  life,  you 
found  yourself  in  the  world  again,  though 
the  body  was  partly  dead ;  then  how  you 
came  slowly  and  painfully  back  to  the  vil- 
lage where  you  had  left  the  wife  and  baby 


336 


LIFR   IN  ALASKA. 


for  whose  sakes  you  had  risked  and  mi' 
fered  so  much.  You  expected  kind  '^xx^^:^ 
tion,  but  when  you  stagg-ered  to  the  ]ww^ 
you  found  that  another  had  taken  y>'W 
place.  I  remember,  too,  how  you  V)X\<^<irA 
to  die — how  you  wished  that  you  had  <iif^^ 
in  that  fearful  mountain-gulch,  and  how  ^^, 
months  dragged  on  till,  the  unfaithful  Wii^^, 
with  her  child,  having  gone  to  lead  a  wJM,vji^ 
bad  life  in  Sitka,  the  world  rose  up  new  i^^ 
you  again,  and  you  took  the  good,  faiil^iiijl 
and  loving  Leah  for  your  wife.  Do  )^m 
remember  how  good  and  pure  and  ttTiW/*? 
you  said  she  was,  and  how  you  loved  li.^? 
It  made  us  so  glad  to  know  that,  old  thifii]^'^ 
having  passed  away,  you  two  were  tru^;;  ^^ 
each  other  and  trying  together  to  serve  ^^^ 
good  God  who  had  so  strangely  spared  ym 
to  hear  his  word.  Our  hearts  were  alw^^^ 
glad  in  thinking  of  you,  because  we  thou<^ 
you  were  trying  to  walk  in  the  right  w^;, 
and  now  we  have  heard  that  you  have  tiik<«^ 
another  wife — that  you  have  Leah  and  h^ 
sister  too.     Is  it  true?" 

He  had  not  lifted  his  eyes  from  my  ^^a<w 
while  I  was  speaking;  their  expression  »'^i»!$ 


LfFR  IN  At,4f:>ff4.- 


337 


pathetic  as  he  followed  iw\^  ?«nd  the  tears 
many  times  had  staritx-/|l  \t\i(^  my  own. 
When  I  asked  the  qu<^i>fi^yft,  his  counte- 
nance did  not  change;  m^^  a  litde  fresh 
wonder  came  into  it,  iiu.4  \-m  said, 

"Why,  have  you  only  \n^%  heard  of  it? 
I  took  Mollie  a  moon  '4m\  't%  half  ago." 

I  could  only  say, 

"  Oh,  Philip,  how  coui4  <^(yi\,  when  you 
knew  that  God  forbids  'mt^h  thinofs?" 

With  new  surprise  o^km^^-^xwy  his  sen- 
sitive face,  he  asked, 

"What  is  that,  Nauk-y-<s>iiifiir 

"  Don't  you  know  tliat  <>)>c|i's  word  says 
only  one  wife  for  one  jjwih)  ?nf>d  one  hus- 
band for  one  woman  ?" 

There  was  eagc^r  pain  m  i^f*.  wonder  now 
as  he  glanced  across  to  tJiw^  %\hi  which  lay 
on  the  litde  table,  ViAVmmyi  the  suofores- 
tion,  I  brought  and  o]>ejie^jl  h,  and  read  to 
him  the  holy  law  of  marria^g^,  J^;aning  for- 
ward in  his  eagerness,  it  ii^K^-mfxl  as  though 
he  must  almost  bring  tJv<t  myf(h  from  the 
book  before  I  could  uttx^r  ih^,fn. 

When  I  had  finished,  vr^vcrral  moments 
passed  before  a  syllable  ^'^ii.:^  !*|>oken  ;  but 


iA 


22 


338 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


I  could  see  that  his  ht^art  was  beating  fast 
and  his  eyes  were  dim  as  they  bent  on 
the  book.  At  length,  raising  his  head 
and  looking  at  me  earnestly,  he  cleared 
his  throat  and  said, 

"  Oh,  mother,  why  did  I  never  hear  God's 
words  before  ?  Now,  for  the  first  time,  I 
hear  his  law.  If  I  know  his  way  before,  I 
never  have  any  wife  but  Leah ;  my  heart 
is  too  sick.  Wait ;  I  can't  see  which  way 
my  face  is  turned ;"  and  he  hurriedly  left 
the  room. 

When  he  re-entered  it,  perhaps  half  an 
hour  later,  my  husband  had  joined  me ;  I 
had  told  him  how  matters  stood,  and  we 
were  still  talking  it  over  sedated  side  by 
side.  Philip  walked  in,  his  face  showing 
the  manly  determination  which  could  hard- 
ly find  expression  in  his  rather  limping  gait, 
and  took  his  stand  opposite  us.  After  wip- 
ing the  damp  from  his  foreh(;ad  he  said,  in 
a  studied  but  earnest  way, 

"  Mr.  Willard  and  Nauk-y-stih,  you  are 
my  father  and  mother ;  you  always  do  me 
good.  Now  I  do  very  wrong ;  I  take  two 
wives.     I  never  hear  Citxl's  word  about  it 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


339 


by 


before.  I  thank  you,  my  mother,  for  read- 
ing it  to  me  and  showing  me  light  to-day. 
My  heart  is  very  sick.  I  want  always  to 
take  God's  way.  I  love  no  woman  besides 
Leah ;  if  I  know  God's  word  before,  I  shut 
my  arms  tight  around  her  and  let  no  one 
else  come  in.  But  I  tell  you  how  it  was. 
I  want  to  take  no  more  wife,  but  Leah's 
sister  was  ready  to  be  married.  The  boy 
who  was  to  take  her  wouldn't  do  it.  He 
would  say  to  her  friends,  *  Wait,  wait ! 
Wait  till  after  Sunday.  Wait  till  another 
moon  ;*  and  they  knew  that  he  didn't  mean 
to  take  her  at  all.  Many  Indians  have  two 
wives  to  help  them  make  money ;  so  the 
friends  all  say  to  me,  *  You  take  her ;  you 
take  her ;'  and  by  nnd  by  I  do  take  her.  I 
have  her  now  one  moon  and  a  half,  and 
don't  know  it's  bad.  Now  I  know  the  good 
way,  I  must  do  it.  I  take  only  Leah  for  my 
wife,  but  I  must  not  take  this  poor  girl  by 
the  shoulder  and  say,  *  Get  you  gone ! 
Quick  !'  I  brought  her  in  ;  I  must  not  give 
her  shame.  I  will  tell  her, '  Sit  down  a  while 
in  my  house — easy.  By  and  by  go  out  with- 
out much  tongues  and  shame.'  " 


340 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


We  could  not  but  commend  his  compas- 
sion and  bid  him  carry  out  his  plan,  with 
earnest  prayer  to  God  for  them  all ;  it  was 
supplication  with  thanksgiving  that  one  was 
so  quick  to  follow  the  truth. 

But  why  had  he  never  heard  the  truth 
before  ?  Over  and  over  again  it  has  been 
preached  on  Sunday  in  church.  That  is  the 
only  time  that  we  use  an  interpreter.  The 
second  chief  here  has  three  wives,  and  not 
only  has  it  been  boldly  preached  to  him, 
and  those  like  him,  from  the  pulpit,  but  we 
have  talked  repeatedly  to  them  ourselves 
in  the  house.  I  suppose,  not  considering 
Philip  in  particular  need  of  such  lessons,  we 
had  never  spoken  personally  to  him  about 
polygamy. 

The  raven  is  the  heathen  Chilcat's  su- 
preme being.  He  is  the  creator  and  pre- 
server of  all  things,  for  not  only  did  he 
make  the  world,  but  upon  his  wings  it  is 
borne.  The  end  of  the  world  will  come 
when  he  flies  from  under  it.  And  not  only 
is  this  black  bird  the  power  almighty,  but 
he  is  the  power  almighty  for  evil.  What 
other  fact  can  so  emphatically  reveal  a  peo- 


\ 


th( 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


341 


, 


: 


pie's  decrradation  as  does  this — that  their 
highest  ideal,  their  god,  is  an  evil  spirit 
whom  they  must  needs  appease,  and  whose 
sufferance  of  them  they  must  propitiate  by 
all  the  sacrifices  that  witches  and  medicine- 
men can  invent  for  them  ? 

A  conversation  between  our  Indian  girl 
Bessie  Ann  Fraze  (who  must  have  been 
about  fourteen  years  old  when  it  took  place) 
and  an  older  Indian  was  reported  to  me  the 
other  day  by  a  third  person,  who  had  been 
much  interested  in  their  discussion  in  re- 
gard to  the  claims  of  the  new  religion. 
John  had  asserted  his  full  belief  in  the  doc- 
trines of  his  fathers,  when  Ann  silenced  him 
by  saying, 

"  I  used  to  believe  that  the  raven  made 
the  world  and  everything ;  but  when  the 
minister  came  and  told  us  about  the  good 
God  and  showed  us  his  true  book,  and  I 
learned  to  read  his  words  my  ownself,  I 
no  more  believe  in  the  raven.  I  believe  in 
God,  because  he  tells  us  about  it.  Now,  if 
you  want  me  to  believe  in  the  raven,  show 
me  the  raven's  book.  How  did  he  make 
the  world,  and  what  did  he  make  it  for?" 


342 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


September  10. — While  we  were  at  break- 
fast a  native  came  and  asked  me  if  he  mij^ht 
bake  some  bread  in  our  stove.  I  told  him 
yes,  if  he  would  bring  it  right  away,  before 
my  fire  went  down.  (He  would  not  be  will- 
ing to  furnish  wood,  nor  even  cut  it.)  He 
returned  to  the  village,  and  directly  anoth- 
er man  came  carrying  a  sack  of  flour,  his 
young  wife  bearing  the  big  washbowl  in 
which  to  mix  the  bread,  and  a  package  of 
sugar.  They  were  going  to  have  a  feast, 
the  people  of  the  three  lower  villages  be- 
ing invited,  and  they  wanted  to  bake  up 
this  sack  of  flour  into  flat  sugar-cakes. 

The  man  did  the  mixing,  his  wife  look- 
ing on.  He  took  out  a  bowl  of  flour,  put 
just  as  little  water  in  it  as  would  make 
dough  so  stiff  that  he  pounded  and  ham- 
mered it  with  his  double  fist  in  very  pugi- 
listic fashion.  Sprinkling  a  little  sugar  on 
the  lump  occasionally,  with  a  spoonful  of 
water,  the  pounding  would  be  resumed, 
until  at  last  we  were  obliged  to  insist  on 
its  being  put  into  the  oven.  Very  reluc- 
tant he  seemed  to  flatten  it  out,  but  at  last 
the  cakes  were  panned,  put  in  to  bake  and 


LI  IE  IN  ALASKA. 


343 


the  man's  wife  sent  home  with  the  flour. 
He  stayed  to  mind  the  baking,  which  took 
about  one  hour  with  fire  in  the  stove  and 
another  hour  without  any. 

The  next  arrival  was  a  man  who  wanted 
to  buy  a  sack  of  beans  and  one  of  rice  for 
the  same  feast ;  three  friends  were  giving 
it  jointly.  We  had  none  to  sell  him ;  so 
he  was  obliged  to  go  to  the  canneries. 

Then  came  a  woman  to  borrow  a  wash- 
tub  to  hold  the  beans  and  rice  when  they 
were  cooked,  for  this  was  the  day  of  prep- 
aration for  the  feast.  The  cooking-uten- 
sils were  small — except,  indeed,  the  great 
baskets  in  which  they  cook,  by  means  of 
redhot  stones  dropped  into  the  mess  they 
wish  to  boil,  and  in  this  case  a  large  quan- 
tity was  to  be  cooked  in  small  portions. 
Then  the  tub  was  wanted  for  the  great  cen- 
tral dish,  from  which  the  totem-dishes  of  the 
guests  could  be  filled  ;  for  they  often  carry 
their  own  dish  and  spoon,  each  carved  elabo- 
rately with  their  family  totem,  or  coat-of- 
arms.  For  instance,  suppose  a  man  is  of 
the  Owl  family,  of  the  •'  Cog-won-tons " 
tribe ;  he  will   probably  have  a  dish  orna- 


344 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


merited  with  owl-carvin<rs'''  and  a  horn  spoon 
whose  handle  represents  the  cinnamon 
bear,  or  a  commingling  of  the  two  in  one, 
or  both  articles,  perhaps,  the  first  order  re- 
versed. They  have  many  styles  of  dishes 
in  wood,  horn  and  stone,  and  the  conceits 
in  carving,  the  arrangement  of  the  ever- 
varying  and  ever-recurring  totem,  are  cu- 
rious and  grotesque,  though  often  rt  hHv 
graceful  in  design.  At  their  feasts  these 
great  dishes  and  spoons,  often  valuable 
and  handed  down  through  generations,  as 
our  great-grandmother's  china  at  home,  are 
gathered  about  by  a  group  of  the  same 
family  and  filled  by  the  master  of  the  feast 
from  the  central  dish — something  similar  to 
the  custom  among  more  civilized  people 
when  refreshments  are  served  to  groups 
of  guests  at  small  tables  from  the  main 
dining-table,  only  the  Chilcats  are  much 
more  social,  as  each  partakes  from  this 
common  totem-dish  with  his  own  spoon. 
These  spoons,  however,  are  large  enough 
to  answer  for  individual-dishes.  They  usu- 
ally hold  from  half  a  pint  to  a  pint.     Some 

*See  illustrations,  pages  256,  37  and  45. 


LI  IF.    IN  ALASKA. 


345 


will  hold  as  much  as  a  quart,  and  look  a 
litde  like  the  old  gourd-ladl(ts. 

Finally,  one  of  the  hosts  came  to  buy  cal- 
ico to  tear  up  and  give  away  at  the  •'  Co- 
ek-y,"  or  the  great  gift-giving  prelude  to 
the  feast,  which  would  take  place  that  night; 
for  it  is  a  feast  for  the  dead.  Of  course  we 
would  not  give  him  calico  for  such  a  pur- 
pose, as  these  feasts  are  the  ruin  of  die 
people.  For  several  weeks  they  have 
done  nothing  but  move  from  one  feast 
to  another,  and  probably  have  spent  in 
this  way  all  the  money  they  have  earned 
through  the  summer. 

September  10. — We  had  some  thirty-five 
or  forty  at  church  yesterday.  The  people 
left  the  canneries  and  still  are  feasting. 
Next  month  the  medicine-man  Kaht-lutl 
is  to  give  a  great  feast  on  the  completion 
of  a  house  he  has  for  three  years  been 
building  in  memory  of  his  dead  in  Y'hin- 
da-stachy. 

Canoes  are  coming  daily  from  below 
Juneau,  Sitka,  Hoonyah  and  Fort  Wrangell 
to  get  salmon  at  the  upper  village.  These 
people    say   they  have    been    standing   all 


346 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


summer  waiting  for  the  fish  to  come,  but 
in  all  they  had  gotten  but  forty  dried. 
Winter  is  coming  on,  and  they  have  made 
no  provision  for  it ;  usually  they  have  by 
this  season  orreat  store-houses  full  of  dried 
salmon  and  salmon-oii — not  only  enough 
for  themselves,  but  for  trade  with  the  lower 
tribes — and  they  will,  I  fear,  have  nothing 
left  of  their  summer  earnings  v/ith  which  to 
buy  flour  or  any  other  food.  I  fear  there 
will  be  trouble ;  and  if  it  were  not  for  the 
dear  babies,  whose  frequent  illnesses  re- 
quire every  care  and  comfort  that  we  can 
(^ive  them  here,  I  would  be  anxious  to  o;o 
to  the  upper  village  for  the  winter,  and,  in- 
deed, may  find  it  necessary  to  go. 

I  heard  yesterday  the  story  of  the  owl's 
origin  as  believed  by  all  the  Kling-get 
tribes.  It  was  at  Sitka  an  old  blind  wo- 
man lived  with  her  son  and  his  wife.  It 
was  a  time  of  great  scarcity  of  food.  The 
son  went  every  day  to  hunt  and  fish,  but 
could  get  nothing;  he  and  the  old  mother 
barely  kept  soul  and  body  together  with 
the  few  roots  and  berries  that  could  be 
found.     But  the  young  wife  thrived  well — 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


347 


Upon  what,  no  one  knew.  In  the  night, 
when  the  old  woman  would  wake  up  from 
sleep,  she  would  say  to  her  daughter-in- 
law, 

"  What  have  you  got  there  to  eat  ?" 

•*  Nothing." 

"Oh  yes!  I  smell  fish,  and  I  hear  the 
oil  dropping  on  the  fire." 

'*  No,  you  don't ;  there's  nothing  to  eat." 

Again  the  hungry  old  woman  would  say, 

"  What  are  you  eating  ?  You  have  fish  ; 
1  hear  you  eating  it." 

"  No,"  came  the  answer ;  •'  I'm  just  chew- 


mg  gum. 


The  truth  was — the  story  says — that, 
having  the  power  of  a  witch,  the  young 
woman  went  every  midnight  to  the  rocks 
overhanging  the  sea,  and  there,  with  tree- 
branches,  which  she  swayed  back  and  forth, 
crossing  and  recrossinir  them  before  her, 
she  charmed  the  young  herring  from  their 
haunts.  They  fiung  themselves  from  the 
waves  to  the  rocks  at  her  feet.  Gathering 
them  into  her  basket,  she  would  take  thv^m 
home,  string  them  (as  is  their  custom  still) 
on  a  stick,  which  was  then  fastened  into  the 


348 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


earth  upon  which  the  house-fire  was  built, 
at  an  inchning  angle  over  the  fire ;  and 
after  roastinir  them,  she  would  have  a 
good  meal  and  sleep  again. 

Matters  went  on  in  this  way,  until  one 
night  the  old  mother's  questioning  angered 
her  daughter-in-law  so  much  that,  snatching 
a  fish  from  the  stick,  she  tore  out  the  burn- 
ing entrails,  and,  crying  out,  *'  Hold  out 
your  hand,  then ;  you  shall  have  some," 
forcibly  closed  the  old  fingers  upon  the 
hot  mass  until  the  palm  was  deeply  burned. 

When  the  husband  came  home  in  the 
morniner,  he  asked  what  made  his  mother 
sit  crying  so.  His  wife  said  she  didn't 
know.  Determined  to  hear  from  his  moth- 
er herself,  he  said  to  his  wife, 

"I  am  going  hunting  again.  Go  you  to 
the  woods  and  get  me  bark-lining  for  my 
arrow"  (to  tie  the  heads  to  it). 

And  while  she  was  gone  the  old  woman 
told  him  all  her  troubles,  and  he  at  once 
decided  what  to  do.  When  his  wife  re- 
turned with  the  bark  strin<rs,  he  took  his 
bow  and  put  off  in  his  canoe,  as  though  he 
were  going  a  distance ;  but  as  soon  as  he 


LIFE   IN  A I  ASK  A. 


349 


had  turned  the  point  of  land  which  hid  him 
from  the  view  of  the  villap-e  he  drew  the 
boat  ashore,  where  he  hid  it  in  the  bushes 
and  secreted  himself  until  after  nightfall. 
When  the  moon  began  to  rise,  he  stole 
toward  the  village,  and,  taking  a  station 
which  would  command  a  view  of  the  beach, 
there  awaited  developments. 

At  midnight  he  saw  in  the  now  brilliant 
moonlight  the  figure  of  his  wife  approach- 
ing the  scene  of  her  nightly  incantation. 
He  watched  her  closely  through  it  all,  and 
followed  softly  to  the  house,  where  he  saw 
her  cook  and  eat  the  fish  and  deny  his 
mother's  cry  for  food,  then  returned  to  his 
canoe.  On  the  next  day  he  caught  a  hair 
seal,  and,  taking  it  home,  made  his  wife  eat 
so  much  of  its  fat  that  she  fell  into  a  deep 
sleep — so  deep,  indeed,  that  the  midnight 
hour  had  passed  when  she  was  aroused  by 
her  husband's  command  to  c^o  down  to  the 
canoe  and  carry  up  the  fish  he  had  just 
brought  home.  He,  having  stolen  her  art, 
had  himself  used  it  and  filled  his  canoe 
with  herring  while  she  slept.  She  went 
to  the  canoe  and  sat  down  on  the  beach ; 


350 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


her  voice  came  very  feebly  as  she  c<iillWJ 
to  her  husband  to  send  her  the  basij^/^^,. 
He  would  not  send  them,  and  she  w ou':!  mni 
go  for  them  ;  so  she  sat  on  the  sand  all  4^^.. 
As  the  moon  arose  she  started  toward  itlliv^ 
mountain,  intending  to  follow  a  gulch  W  jiji*^ 
top ;  but  when  she  came  to  the  great  st<>>itiM!:; 
(called  by  the  white  citizens  of  Sitka  itfti^ 
"  Blarney-stone  ")  which  stands  in  the  x<y4A-- 
way  just  opposite  the  gate  of  the  ^jilivdl- 
don  Jackson  Institute,  she  sat  down  <mi  ii(t^, 
and  immediately  turned  into  an  owl.  \%  '^ 
for  this  reason,  then,  that  the  owl  w<^<^ 
in  the  night  and  talks  in  the  moon]ig;}|i(t 

But  the  British-Columbia  Indians  h^-Xw^'f^- 
that  the  owl  is  the  transformed  body  ^  '^ 
man  who  lost  his  head  from  his  shoul<J(t^nr^5> 
in  a  war  among  the  tribes  long  ago. 

September  27,— Mr.  Willard  and  Mii^ 
Matthews,  with  Mrs.  Dickinson,  ar4::  ;^ 
the  upper  villages  this  week,  the  girls  ff!>- 
maining  at  home  with  me  and  the  babi<!^^ 

This  has  been  a  specimen  day,  aii<ll,,  ;¥^ 
the  little  ones  are  all  asleep,  I  will  run  m^ 
its  events.  There  has  not  been  an  ^\^^ 
side  Indian  near  the  house,  owing  to  ^^ 


LIFE  IN  4M<if^A. 


351 


great  annual  feast  iut  VWrt-da-stachy,  but 
we  are  always  busy,  W*^  arose  at  seven 
o'clock  this  mornifag,  ^(^yl  breakfast  over, 
the  little  ones  ready,  ikt',  Saturday  clean- 
ing and  preparatioi)  ^\fm('.\  then,  putting 
Fred  in  a  comfort,  \  "i^  him  in  his  cart, 
gave  Kotzie  \u.  littk  <i>lWyvel,  and  led  the 
girls  with  two  larger  i>3>)Ky^/rk  and  the  wheel- 
barrow to  digging  <:W<^  and  banking  up 
the  house  for  wintf^r.  Wc  can  get  neither 
man  nor  boy  to  work;  (^en  Ned  has  run 
off  to  the  feast. 

The  girls  went  at  k  m^  a  will,  and  to- 
gether we  got  it  '6\n¥^^  ^lone ;  but  while 
we  were  working  in  ^w..  Ifront  of  the  house 
one  of  the  girls  screjjUiJiU''4mjt  that  the  boat's 
ways  were  iloati ng  m^  and  there,  sure 
enough,  going  rapi<illy  tmi  with  the  tide, 
was  the  log  roa-dw^ji^-  i^hich  had  been 
worked  on  for  s<>  fmm<^  weary  days.  I 
feared  it  might  get  ^mt  mto  the  channel 
current  and  be  €arrii/<^4  utterly  away.  I 
knew  that  it  would  |!>*r  ftx^xt  to  impossible 
to  replace  it  by  a  \u^  fmc  this  year,  and 
the  Adeline  was  at  muh^yf  in  the  bay,  but 
must  be  housed  for  jlii<<?  w'mter.    How  could 


352 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


it  be  done  without  these  ways  and  pulleys? 
So,  laying  baby  Fred  on  his  l>ack  in  the  com- 
fort, I  pulled  on  my  rubljer  boots,  snatched 
up  the  keys  and,  callin;;^  to  the  ^irls  to  fol- 
low me,  ran  to  the  boat-house,  j^ot  out  ropes 
and  paddles,  while  the  girls  ran  the  little 
canoe  down  the  beach.  Springing  into 
the  shell,  we  were  off  on  the  big  water. 
Fanny  sat  high  and  dry  in  the  prow,  Ann 
in  the  stern,  both  working  hard,  while  I 
with  my  ropes  sat  amidships.  We  reached 
the  logs,  roped  them  in  and  tugged  them 
back  to  the  Adeline.  Hoarding  the  white 
beauty,  I  tied  the  rop<ts  securely  to  her 
prow,  and  we  were  soon  ashore  again. 

Poor  little  ones  left  behind !  Kotzie  had 
followed  to  the  water's  <tdge,  while  Fred 
had  cried  himself  to  sleep.  We  got  dinner 
over,  and  after  our  evening  singing,  Bible 
lesson  and  prayer  I  took  the  little  ones  up 
to  bed.  When  they  were  snugly  tucked  in, 
I  heard  noises  on  the  beach  like;  the  landinor 
of  a  boat.  Looking  out,  I  could  just  distin- 
guish a  large  canoe  being  hauled  up  and  a 
figure  coming  up  the  path  toward  the  house; 
but  I  heard  the  voices  of  white  men. 


LIFE   m  ALASKA. 


353 


As  the  solitary  figure  was  about  to  pass 
to  the  back  of  the  house  I  called  out  from 
the  window : 

"  Who  is  there  ?     White  men  ?" 

**  Yes ;  a  party  from  the  interior.  We 
heard  that  you  were  here,  and  have  tried 
hard  to  get  here  to-night." 

I  told  him  then  that  Mr.  Willard  was  not 
at  home,  but  that  I  would  be  down  in  a 
minute  and  would  most  gladly  give  them 
anything  they  needed. 

They  were  not  in  the  pitiable  state  of  the 
former  party,  but  they  were  tired  and  hun- 
gry. They  are  now  comfortably  housed  in 
the  schoolhouse,  with  fire  and  provision, 
and  the  day  has  almost  passed  for  me. 

I  have  been  taking  the  girls  this  week 
through  the  history  of  our  dear  Saviour's 
sufferings,  death  and  resurrection  with 
much  profit  to  us  all.  They  are  intense- 
ly interested  in  the  reading  and  during 
prayer. 

October  9. — Our  itinerant*^  have  safely 
returned,  holding  service  two  weeks  ago 
at  Clok-won,  last  Sabbath  at  Y'hin-da- 
stachy.      I   had  a  congregation  here  also 

23 


354 


LIFK   IN  ALASKA. 


of  about  twenty  persons.  The  feasting 
had  at  last  been  ended,  and  the  people 
were  en  route  for  Chilcoot  to  put  up  their 
salmon.  They  said  **  the  days  were  dear 
now  because  so  few  will  be  before  the  big 
snows ;"  but  they  stopped  for  church,  and 
we  had  a  good  time.  I  can  get  on  now 
very  well  without  an  interpreter.  .  .  . 

The  mail  brought  us  a  most  welcome 
telegram  from  Dr.  Kendall,  saying,  *'  Go  on 
with  the  building  on  your  plans."  We 
would  naturally  shrink  from  such  an  un- 
dertaking, but  because  we  believe  that 
we  will  be  so  directed  as  to  secure  more 
glory  to  His  name  whom  we  delight  to 
serve,  we  are  grateful  for  this  author- 
ity. Philip  and  Sarah,  with  their  little  Ade- 
line, were  here  to  church  on  Sabbath,  and 
on  Monday  morning  Philip  went  to  work 
on  the  contract  for  getting  out  logs  for  the 
Home.  Last  evening,  at  sunset,  he  towed 
in  and  landed,  above  high  tide,  the  first 
eight  logs  for  the  building.  It  had  been 
a  full  day  for  me,  but,  taking  the  children 
to  the  beach,  I  sat  down  on  a  fallen  tree 
and   watched   the   landing.      I    forgot   my 


LIFE    IN  ALASKA. 


355 


weariness  in  the  joy  of  seeing  at  last  a 
beginning  of  this  house,  so  labored  for, 
so  prayed  for  and  so  waited  for.  Every 
bump  of  the  logs  sent  a  throb  of  grati- 
tude through  me,  and  I  felt  penitent  for 
my  want  of  faith  a  few  weeks  ago.  But 
God  has  caused  it  to  come  to  pass,  and  I 
am  so  glad  and  thankful ! 

October  11. — Yesterday  morning  Philip 
came  early,  looking  as  though  he  had  lost 
his  last  friend. 

"Me  baby  sick;  me  min-ten "  ("little") 
"  baby  sick,"  he  said.  "  Me  no  sneep  las' 
night." 

"  Why,  what  is  the  matter?"  I  asked.  "  Did 
Baby  cry  ?" 

"  No  ;  no  cry.     Me  heart  too  sick  baby." 

I  sent  him  to  bring  \he  litde  Adeline  and 
her  mother,  and  soon  found  her  quite  sick 
with  lung-fever.  These  wretched  houses 
of  theirs  are  like  caves,  and  the  little  doors 
have  been  shut  up  this  wet  summer,  while 
the  roofs  are  open,  letting  in  all  the  rain  on 
the  earthen  floors.  Now,  when  they  bring 
a  few  pieces  of  bark  for  floors,  the  people 
go  right  into  them,  build  a  little  fire,  and 


356 


LIFK    IN  ALASKA. 


breathe  in  the  poison  mould  and  must 
out  of  the  reeking  ground  and  walls. 

After  a  day's  good  nursing  and  care  the 
little  one  breathed  much  better,  and  seemed 
in  a  fair  way  to  recover  if  the  care  could  be 
continued.  I  ot  daring  to  let  them  take  it 
again  in  such  condition  to  their  own  hut, 
we  have  them  still  here  in  the  coziest  cor- 
ner of  the  sitting-room. 

As  I  have  clothed  little  Adeline  in  flan- 
nel now,  I  asked  her  mother  to  give  me  the 
little  garment  I  took  off,  to  show  you  a  spe- 
cimen of  the  Indian  women's  sewing.  This 
is  the  style  of  dress  worn  by  every  Chilcat 
female,  big  and  little — sometimes  with  none 
other ;  but  in  the  case  of  the  women  there 
is  more  often  a  straight  gathered  skirt  worn 
over  this,  and  perhaps  a  cotton  jacket. 
They  are  all,  even  when  made  of  the  flim- 
siest material,  sewed  with  such  extreme 
nicety !  Their  favorite  position  for  sew- 
ing is  lying  on  the  floor,  face  downward 
and  elbows  resting  on  the  ground.*  They 
hold  the  needle  between  thumb  and  finger, 
pointing  outward,  and  sew  from  them. 

*  See  illustration,  page  151. 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


357 


October  10. — Philip's  baby  is  dead.  The 
litde  body  is  to  be  burned  to-day  at  Chilcoot, 
whither  its  mother  and  her  friends  took  it 
yesterday  morning  at  daybreak. 

The  baby  had  improved  every  day ;  and 
when,  on  Saturday,  Philip  told  me  that  he 
\vould  take  the  little  one  home  at  noon,  I 
told  him  it  would  be  best,  as  she  was  bet- 
ter. The  weather  had  .^rown  more  mild 
and  quiet,  and  their  house  had  been  thor- 
oughly heated,  their  friends  having  kept  up 
a  constant  fire  for  several  days.  He  went 
down  and  hung  up  thick  blankets,  making 
a  warm  room  for  Hab\'  and  her  mother. 
They  wrapped  the  child  well  in  blankets 
(it  was  dressed  in  my  baby's  flannels  and 
socks)  and  took  it  down  to  the  village. 
Early  yesterday  morning  Philip  came  to 
tell  us  that  the  baby  was  gone.  His  slow 
step,  white  face  and  swollen  eyes  told  some- 
thing of  his  grief.  We  too  had  become 
attached  to  the  fat  little  baby  and  were 
grieved  much,  though  I  realize  to  the  full 
that  it  was  taken  in  mercy  from  a  miser- 
able existence  here. 

As  soon  as  it  was  dead  its  tribal  friends 


358 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


bf'gan  to  wrap  it  in  its  blankets,  ready  for 
the  mysterious  journey  to  the  spirit-world, 
and,  running  out  a  canoe,  put  the  baby  into 
it  with  its  mother  and  hurried  away  to  Chil- 
coot,  in  spite  of  the  father's  agonized  entreat- 
ies. He  did  not  believe  that  the  child  was 
dead,  only  tired  and  weak.  He  begged 
them  to  wait  till  I  could  see  it,  then  that 
they  would  not  take  it  away  on  the  Sabbath, 
but  wait  till  Monday;  but  in  vain.  They 
left  him  alone,  and  he  came  to  tell  us,  say- 
ing that  if  his  child  were  dead  he  would  go 
away  on  the  steamboat  to  work.  It  was 
truly  his  idol.  Never  have  I  seen  shown 
anywhere  more  tender  solicitude,  more 
anxious  love  and  earnest,  watchful  care, 
than  he  has  shown  to  that  little  baby.  He 
had  this  summer,  with  part  of  his  earnings, 
bought  a  nice  camphor-wood  trunk,  and 
had  several  lovely  rose-blankets  in  it. 
When  the  baby  took  sick  he  immediately 
opened  his  treasure,  and  made  its  bed  more 
comfortable  and  beautiful  than  I  could  have 
done  by  giving  him  my  best.  I  told  him  that 
it  pleased  me  to  see  him  use  these  things 
for  his  child  while  it  lived  and  needed  them, 


LIFE   IM  ALASKA. 


359 


instead  of  letting  the  baby  die  of  exposure 
in  order  to  save  blankets  to  give  away  and 
burn  at  their  burial-feast,  as  so  many  In- 
dians do. 

"Oh  no,"  he  said;  "I  can't  do  that.  I 
love  my  baby ;  my  heart  all  same's  white 
men's  heart." 

While  here  he  would  throw  himself  on 
his  hands  and  knees  beside  it  on  the  floor 
and  lay  his  head  so  tenderly  on  its  little 
pillow,  cooing  to  it  and  kissing  it  like  the 
tenderest  mother.  He  was  its  best  nurse, 
and  would  not  leave  it  all  those  days  of  its 
sickness  except  to  get  their  food.  But  he 
rested  when  I  would  take  it ;  and  when  I 
came  at  niirht,  whether  at  twelve  or  two  or 
four  o'clock,  with  the  light,  and  took  up  the 
litde  thing  into  my  arms,  after  seeing  it  com- 
fortably settled  he  would  draw  out  from 
about  his  head  somewhere  his  little  book 
and  begin  to  pore  over  it,  appealing  to  me 
constandy  for  confirmation  or  correction 
of  w^hat  he  had  spelled.  He  seemed  so 
troubled  about  the  burning  of  the  body. 
We  told  him  to  let  them  burn  it :  that 
could   not   make   the   litde    one   unhappy ; 


36o 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


but  we  wished  him  to  make  no  feast,  to 
have  no  burninc^  or  tearincr  up  of  food 
and  clothing.  He  said  he  would  have  to 
burn  two  new  blankets  with  the  baby  and 
give  its  tribe  food,  but  \\ii  would  do  no 
more. 

We  hear  that  the  people  are  getting  up 
quite  an  excitement  again,  all  saying  that 
wherever  ministers  are  the  children  die. 
Last  week  we  had  succeeded  in  nrettino: 
some  men  to  work,  but  now  every  creature 
is  p^one  asjain.  Some  have  nrone  to  Chil- 
coot  for  this  burning;  the  majority,  how- 
ever, have  gone  to  Clok-won,  to  another 
great  feast,  given  to  the  lower  villages  in 
return  compliment.  We  hear  that  tliey 
are  going  to  have  plenty  of  hoochinoo. 

Some  of  these  lower  people,  who  had 
raised  bushels  of  potatoes  and  used  them 
for  the  Y'hin-da-stachy  feast,  have  not  one 
morsel  of  food  for  winter,  and  they  have 
families  of  little  children.  They  intended 
o^oins!"  to  work  on  the  doof-salmon  last 
week  to  dry  it,  but  now  comes  the  irre- 
sistible call  to  feast  at  Clok-won  with  the 
Cog- won -tons. 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA, 


361 


Ned  has  never  come  back  since  running 
away  to  the  feast.  .  .  . 

Carrie  M.  Willard. 


To  tlic  Mission  Society,  Wilmington,  Illinois, 

Chii.cat  Mihskin, 

Haines,  Alaska,  July  7,  1883. 

Dear  Friends  :  Let  me  take  this  oppor- 
tunity of  thankini^  you  all  for  your  interest 
in  the  boat  also.  We  did  not  get  a  steamer, 
but  a  good  rovv-and-sail  boat  which  answers 
our  purposes  well  and  is  a  great  comfort. 
We  have  built  a  Io^j:  boat-house  on  the 
beach,  where  between  trips  she  is  safely 
sheltered. 

Durinii-  these  summer  months  the  steam- 
ers  come  to  the  canneries  which  are  on  the 
Chilcat  Inlet.  The  distance  from  Haines  is 
two  or  three  mlU^s,  across  the  peninsula, 
through  a  terrible  trackless  bush.  We 
have  no  roads  in  this  country,  you  know, 
and  to  go  around  the  point,  as  we  must 
for  our  freight,  it  is  thirtv  miles;  so  you 
see  even  now  how  much  we  need  the 
boat.  Then  for  six  months  during  the 
v/inter  I  suppose  there  will  be  no  steamer, 


362 


LIFE   I/V  ALASKA. 


and  our  only  dependence  from  Juneau  will 
be  our  own  little  boat.  .  .  . 


Chii.cat  Mission, 

Haines,  Alaska,  October  9,  1883. 

Rkv.  and  Mrs.  P.  F.  Sanbokxk — 

Dear  Friends:  There  is  some^^^^'ne  so 
j^ood  to  write !  Last  evenin^^s  at  ..inset, 
the  first  eiijht  loos  for  the  Home  were 
towed  in  and  delivered  above  hi^rh  tide  by 
Philip,  our  youn<^  silversmith.  It  brings  a 
feeling  more  nearly  akin  to  th'^t  experi- 
ence on  hearing  of  the  first  gift  toward 
the  Duilding  (a  year  and  a  half  ago)  than 
anything  since.  .  .  . 

You  write  to  know  what  to  do  for  us. 
We  shall  need  everything  in  the  spring. 
We  hope  to  get  the  logs  on  the  ground 
ready  for  early  work  wiion  the  snow 
goes  off. 

We  will  be  obliged  to  take  some  boys 
before  we  have  the  house  up,  in  order  to 
secure  them  and  that  we  may  have  their 
help  in  the  much  work  to  be  done.  We 
can  do  this  by  using  the  little  schoolhouse 
as  a  temporary  dormitory.     But  as  yet  we 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


3^3 


have  no  boys'  clothing-,  nor  bed-ticks,  nor 
blankets.  Of  the  former,  the  very  best 
kind  will  be  of  brown  duckini^  canvas — at 
least  for  pantaloons — and  blue  denims  or 
hickory  for  waists  and  shirts.  The  latter 
miirht  be  varied  with  stroma  jeans  and 
cheviot  flannel.  Our  Ned  can  wear  a  pair 
of  new  jean  pantaloons  only  one  month  be- 
fore they  need  new  seat  and  knees.  This 
clothing  should  be  for  boys  of  ages  ranging 
from  ten  to  sixteen  years.  Our  beds  will 
for  the  most  part  be  single  ones — say  two 
widths  of  hickory  two  yards  long,  with  a 
six-inch  strip  between  them  for  the  thick- 
ness of  the  bed.  Blankets  (colored  ones) 
are  better  than  quilts,  and  more  easily  kept 
clean  than  comforts.  They  are  cheaper,  it 
is  said,  on  this  coast  than  in  the  East.  Then  , 
we  shall  want  crash  towels  and  everything. 
May  God  bless  you  for  your  good  words  ! 

Carrie  M.  Willard. 


Chilcat  Mission, 

Haines,  Alaska,  October  17,  1883, 


Dear  Mrs 


In  a  note  by  our  last 


mail  but  one  Mrs.  L.  asked  m«   to  write  you 


3^4 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


in  reference  to  our  Chilcat  children,  aii<^  ^ii<<r> 
lect  for  you  a  girl  to  bear  the  name  <A 

.     I  gladly  comply  at  my  earlies(t  (f^- 

portunity,  and  yet  I  can  only  writ<^  m  * 
general  way.  I  am  not  able  at  omjt^.  (t/y 
give  you  a  particular  child.  We  m^)^ 
fondly  hope  to  have  the  Home  opotij  1)>;^ 
another  summer,  and  it  is  exceedifii^y 
desirable  that  the  support  of  its  chihllirfoifjj 
shall  all  have  been  secured  by  that  1^4ij|)^>^y 
day;  but,  knowing  the  difficulties,  and  ^)t-- 
preciating  the  wish  of  those  who  giv*-  (ti<v 
this  object  that  neither  change  nor  laiil]ijijr(*; 
should  be  connected  with  the  name  lj}',v^y 
love,  I  think  delay  of  appointment  \>i-'}^f 
than  risk  of  a  greater  disappoinlmtnit.. 

You  cannot  understand  just  what  ^)f^ 
difficulties  are  :  their  name  is  Legion.  EvV^ity 
superstition  of  the  people,  every  titi,  ^;it^^h 
natural  and  monstrous,  interferes  witih  ^^. 
plans  of  missionaries  among  Indians,.  J 
might  give  you  a  bright,  promising  ^iijrll 
brought  to  me  by  her  mother  to-da\  :  I 
might  take  her  into  my  own  home  m\^l 
family,  adopting  her  for  you  with  aill  itlliv^*; 
papers  and   ceremonies  necessary  foir  (fc 


LIl'E   ///  4//f^A'A. 


365 


transference  of  a  k^m'^fhi'm ;  and  yet  before 
our  mail  is  ready  tx>  ^(Uirf,  fakin^^  to  you  a 
brilliant  account  oi  3,'f(<)>(<:/'/;dinc^s  and  prob- 
abilities, I  nii^ht  JiaV'^'T  Uv  pr(;pare  the  ac- 
count of  her  runiiin;/  '^-w^-ty  or  of  her  abduc- 
tion, of  her  beiug  U^fUHf^xX  for  witchcraft, 
given  for  a  wife  or  vyll'i  t(v  white  men.  I 
might  tell  the  fa'nily  H/y  ^ait — that  I  would 
surely  take  the  girl  \n  ikt.  spring;  I  might 
give  her  your  nam^e  mul  \tt  them  go  away 
happy,  leaving  nie  mtk  th(\  full  assurance 
that  the  child  was  r*i^i4^  for  me  whenever 
I  could  tik(;  her;  a.iiiJA|l  ifv<^  <t  week  1  might 
find  that  the  wJiol^^  i^im'Ay  has  removed 
elsewhere,  from  wh*'m^  I  f:ou]d  not  expect 
ever  to  receive  my  mm^fnt  litde  girl. 

So  I  assure  you,  <Ui4f  friends,  that,  from 
such  a  point  of  vw-w^  these  scholarships 
are  very  trying  'dsid  <<  Won  raging  diings. 
You  wish  t(^  watch  t'^"  growth  and  prog- 
ress of  a  particular  <;%^id  in  the  name  of 
one  you  love      1  y<]»4^M»rvd   ant 


sympa- 


thize with  you  in  tht^,  Utti  is  this  the  best 


w 


ay 


?     Mav  1  not  i 


what  seems  to 


me  a  higher    aim — ^  ^iis^r    and   a    better 
plan?     It  is   OIK    wiikll  will   alike  enlarge 


366 


LIFE    /N  A /.AS  A' A. 


the  sympathies  of  the  j^iv<;rs  and  their  ex- 
perimcMital  knovvled^ci  of  mission  work  and 
reHeve  the  missionaries  of  so  ^reat  a  tax. 
Would  not  the   person  whom  you  dehj^dit 
to  honor  in  this  way  be  just  as  truly  hon- 
ored in  this  other  way?     Instead  of  saying, 
*'  Select  for  us  a  child  of  ;^ood  promise — 
one  we   can   keep,  and  whose  course  we 
can    follow — and    we   will    support   her  in 
your   school    and    call    her    *  So-and-So,' " 
suppose  you  should  say,  **  We  wish  to  have 
a  scholarship  in  your  school,  to  be  named 
*  So-and-So,'   and   would   lyr  ^lad   to   have 
occasional  accounts  of  the  child  who  may 
be  benefited  by  it ;"  and  supfxjse  you  pay 
your  one  hundred  dollars  a  year  into  the 
hand  of  the  Board  of  Home*  Missions  for 
the  purpose  of  keepinj^  up  this  scholarship, 
always  to  be  known  by  your  chosen  name. 
Then,  if  for  any  cause  it  became  necessary 
to  substitute   any  otlu'r  child  for  the  one 
first  selected,  you   mi^^dit  in  this  way  gain 
the  histories  of  a  dozen  children,  with  all 
the  vari(!d  circumstances   that  caused  the 
change,  and  thus  learn  more  of  the  habits, 
superstitions  and  needs  of  the  people;  than 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


367 


you  could  in  any  other  way.  You  mit^ht 
possibly  have  the  same  child  for  a  number 
of  years ;  but  if  not,  you  would  have  the 
joy  of  knovvinj^  that  more  than  one  lit- 
tle candle  had  been  lighted,  and  you  would 
pray  God  to  keep  it  burninjr  until  the  per- 
fect day.  Vor  they  cannot  be  in  these 
Christian  traininf;-homes  a  week  without 
some  little  spark  at  least  of  knowledge 
having  been  ki  idled  in  their  dark  minds. 
We  hope  that  they  can  never  be  just  the 
same  as  before ;  and  who  can  tell  whether 
this  or  that  shall  [irosper — that  dropped  by 
the  wayside,  or  this  so  long  tended  by  anx- 
ious, watchful  love  ? 

Have  you  lutard  of  the  little  child-wife 
in  our  school  ?  1  Icr  husband  is  sawing 
wood  for  us  to-day.  He  sometimes  comes 
to  school  with  her  and  his  own  little  ones, 
whom  she  lugs  with  her  everywhere  she 
goes.  It  is  almost  two  years  since  he  took 
her,  the  daughter  of  his  own  brother,  yet 
she  is  a  sliLfht  little  creature  of  not  over 
eleven  years  new.  She  has  fretted  so  that 
her  father  has  several  times  allowed  her  to 
gc  home  for  a  little  whil(\     She  is  with  her 


368 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


parents  just  now,  and  her  father  says  he 
does  not  want  her  to  go  back  to  her  hus- 
band any  more :  "  she  cries  too  much." 
He  wants  us  to  take  her  into  the  Home  ; 
and  oh,  I  do  hope  he  may  not  cliange  his 
mind  before  the  place  is  ready  for  her. 

That  bright  Httle  son  of  Shat-e-ritch  who 
so  manfully  helped  to  take  our  mission  stuff 
up  the  river  a  year  ago,  and  whom  we  hoped 
to  have  in  the  Home,  has  fallen  heir  to  his 
uncle-chief's  houses,  blankets  and  widow — 
an  old  woman  from  whom  death  may  re- 
lease him  in  a  few  years;  but  he  has  taken 
possession,  and  is  now  lord  and  master  of  a 
chief's  estate.  .  .  .     Cakrik  M.  Wii.lard. 


Chii.cat  Mission, 

Haines,  Alaska,  November  7,  1883. 

Dear  Friends:  A  few  days  ago  we 
learned  of  the  sad  fate  of  another  of  our 
girls,  who  is  now  about  sixteen  years  old. 
About  two  years  ago  she  was  given  as  sec- 
ond wife  to  an  old  man  whose  first  wife  was 
as  decrepit  as  himself.  This  she  endured 
until  a  year  ago,  when  her  position  was 
rendered  still  more  terrible  by  the  accusa- 


r.IFE    IN  ALASKA. 


369 


tion  of  witchcraft.     She  was  tortured,  and 
at  lenjrth  confessed  that  she  had,  together 
with  Jim  (our  Ned's  father),  been  Uie  means 
of  the  death  of  a  Httle  boy  who  was  the  son 
of  Cla-not's  sister,  and  of  tlie  paralysis  of 
his  father's  arm.     vShe  had  stolen  the  dirty, 
racr<i"ed  shirt-sleeve  of  the   man,  she  said, 
and  given  it  to  Jim,  who  hid  it  in  a  "  dead- 
box  ;"    and,    immediately    after,   the    man's 
arm  began  to  shrivel.     When  asked  after- 
ward why  she  told  this  lie,  she  said.  "  Be- 
cause oi'  the  torture."     The  child  had  noth- 
ing with  which  to  pay  for  her  release,  and 
the  afflicted  family  took  her  for  their  slave. 
We  hear  that  the  friends  are  but  waitinor  to 
begin  again  their  trial  of  Jim.     Of  course 
the  accusing  party  is  a  very  strong  one — 
both  Cla-not  and  his  sister.  .  .  . 

Fanny  does  the  most  of  our  interpreting 
now,  and  does  it  simply  and  well,  though 
it  is  an  especially  trying  position  for  her. 
When  we  found  that  Mrs.  Dickinson  was 
not  coming  last  Sabbath,  Mr.  Willard  said, 

''Well,  Fanny  will  have  to  talk  for  me 
to-day." 

She  looked  down,  and  did  not  make  any 

24 


370 


LIFE    hW  ALASKA. 


reply  except  a  movement  of  impatience  or 
uneasiness. 

Mr.  Willard  began  to  go  over  the  lesson 
with  her ;  it  was  on  the  raising  of  the  wid- 
ow's son  of  Nain.  When  he  was  through, 
he  asked  if  she  understood  it. 

•'  No,"  she  said,  very  distinctly. 

I  called  her  to  come  and  sit  down  beside 
me  in  the  big  window,  and,  taking  a  lot  of 
blocks  from  Kotzie's  play-box.  I  built  a  city 
with  a  wall  about  it,  explained  the  purpose 
of  the  latter,  then  showed  the  little  house 
where  lived  the  widow,  told  of  her  one  boy 
who  cared  for  her,  of  his  death,  of  her  grief. 
With  a  doll  and  the  lid  of  a  box  and  a 
winding  ribbon,  we  led  the  little  proces- 
sion of  mourners  down  the  street  and 
through  the  city's  gate.  We  had  before 
seen  that  Jesus  was  leaving  a  neighbor- 
ing town,  and  now  he  was  nearing  the 
gate  as  the  funeral  came  out.  Then  the 
joyful  return. 

Among  the  many  applications,  I  spoke 
of  how  like  the  dead  we  all  are  with  Jesus, 
of  our  helplessness  until  we  are  touched  by 
Him  who  makes  us  strong  to  do  for  him, 


1.1  IE   IN  ALASKA. 


371 


and  brought  it  down  to  I'anny,  whose 
tongue  was  dead  before  her  people  until 
Jesus  touched  her  heart  as  ht*  did  the  bier 
of  the  widow's  son  ;  then  right  away  it  was 
full  of  words  for  him.  There  was  a  change 
instantly  in  her  whole  aspect,  and  in  a  few 
moments  she  slipped  away  to  her  room  to 
gain  more  of  the  help  which  Ciod  alone  can 
give  us ;  and  I  knew  then  that  she  would 
do  well.  She  did  do  well,  sjjeaking  out 
with  perfect  ease  ;  so  that  all  in  the  build- 
ing could   hear  without  any  effort. 

We  had  two  services,  and  a  roomful  of 
children  followed  us  home  at  niirhtfall.  I 
had  asked  Minnie,  the  little  child-wife,  to 
come  home  with  me,  because  a  few  days 
before  she  had  committed  a  little  theft  and 
I  wanted  to  have  a  talk  with  her.  But,  as 
all  the  rest  came  and  the  room  filled  up,  I 
concluded  to  cfive  them  all  the  benefit  (.>f 
the  lesson.  They  were  looking  at  a  pict- 
ure of  little  Samuel  answerincjf  the  call  he 
thought  Eli's  ;  so,  taking  that  story  of  God's 
talking  to  the  little  boy  and  telling  him  what 
he  wanted  him  th  do  for  a  text,  I  preached 
them   a  little   :-ermon   full  of  questions  on 


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372 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


the  commandments — God's  talk  to  each  of 
these  Httle  boys  and  girls.  Without  hav- 
ing made  any  personal  allusions,  I  soon 
discovered  my  little  culprit  under  the  table; 
but  when  the  closing  talk  of  Jesus'  love  and 
mercy  and  help  came,  the  little  head  came 
out  into  the  light  in  its  eagerness,  and  the 
hymns  were  sung  joyously.  The  children 
are  learning  to  sing  beautifully  together, 
and  are  getting  quite  an  idea  of  the  parts, 
trying,  with  no  mean  success,  the  alto  and 
bass  as  well  as  the  air. 

Minnie's  father  came  to  see  us  about  her. 
He  says  that  his  brother  is  very  angry  that 
he  didn't  send  her  back ;  he  says  that  she 
belonors  to  him  and  he  needs  her.  I  told 
her  father  that  if  he  did  make  her  go  back 
again  I  should  tell  the  man-of-war  the  very 
first  thing  when  I  saw  it  again. 

Oh,  if  we  only  had  the  Home !  or  if  we 
had  known  in  time  that  we  could  have  got- 
ten provision  enough  for  more,  then  how 
glad  we  would  have  been  to  lay  it  in  and 
take  these  little  ones !  The  people's  ex- 
tremity as  to  food  seems  to  be  the  great 
opportunity  of  getting  all  the  children,  if 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


373 


we  could  take  care  of  them;  but  God  knows 
it  all,  and  he  loves  them. 

Nove7nbe7'  9,  1883. — Among  the  many 
demands  of  yesterday,  besides  those  of  my 
home  and  children,  was  the  cutting  and  fit- 
ting of  a  nice  black  alpaca  polonaise  for 
Mrs.  Chilcoot  lack.  She  has  a  tall,  slen- 
der figure  and  such  a  sweet,  sad  young 
face,  a  good  head  with  a  heavy  braid  of 
glossy  black  hair,  and  in  her  new  dress 
looks  like  a  nice  white  lady. 

Before  I  had  finished  cutting  it  came 
Mrs,  Harry  Kah-dum-jah,  a  litde  crip- 
pled woman  with  four  children  (two  of 
whom  I  immediately  despatched  to  school), 
with  an  old  frock-coat  which  her  husband 
had  gotten  from  some  of  the  white  men. 
She  wanted  a  whole  suit  from  it  for  her 
five-year-old  boy.  We  ripped  it  up  and 
cut  a  nice  litde  jacket  from  the  skirts,  and 
a  good  pair  of  pants  from  the  sleeves. 
From  the  extravagant  pleasure  at  the  re- 
sult, I  could  see  that  she  had  not  really 
expected  me  to  give  her  all  she  wanted 
out  of  that  coat.  She  is  very  bright  and 
a  good   seamstress,  and  took  up   all   my 


374 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


dj''ectIons  for  its  making  quite  readily. 
When  she  had  finished  sewing  up  the 
seams  and  I  broucfht  a  hot  flat-iron  to 
press  them  out,  she  seemed  as  much  de- 
lighted as  if  I  had  presented  her  with  a 
new  tailor-made  suit.  The  little  boy  him- 
self was  so  rejoiced  with  the  idea  of  hav- 
ing a  coat  that  fitted  him  that  he  ran  off 
to  school  with  the  body  of  it  on  while  we 
were  fixing  the  sleeves.  Her  baby-boy  is 
a  little  older  than  mine — a  beautiful  child 
just  creeping  about  the  floor.  He  had  only 
the  customary  rag  about  his  shoulders — a 
little  short  cotton  shirt — though  it  was  so 
cold  that  with  all  the  fire  I  could  keep  go- 
ing in  the'  big  box-stove  I  dared  not  let  my 
baby  down  on  the  floor,  with  all  his  thick, 
warm  flannels. 

The  child  was  not  well ;  and  when  I 
brought  an  old  pair  of  flannel  drawers  to 
put  on  him,  his  mother  showed  me  that  his 
spine  was  curved, 

"  Why,  what  did  that  ?"  I  asked. 

With  as  much  seriousness  as  though  she 
were  saying  "  A  fall,"  she  said, 

"  Witches." 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


375 


I  had  many  times  seen  the  child  lugged 
about  by  a  litde  six-year-old  sister,  slung 
over  her  back  in  a  blanket,  from  which  it 
would  be  a  very  easy  matter  for  the  fat, 
heavy,  helpless  bauy  to  drop.  Of  course 
I  gave  her  a  lesson  on  witchcraft  and  the 
proper  care  of  not  only  babies,  but  their 
weak  little  sisters. 

Before  I  had  finished,  as  if  to  give  the 
discourse  point,  my  baby  Fred,  in  his  healthy 
restlessness,  grew  tired  of  the  arm-chair 
into  which  I  had  tucked  him,  and,  trying 
to  gain  the  floor,  reached  it  in  too  much 
haste,  getting  such  a  bump  on  his  wee  pug- 
nose  as  broucrht  the  blood.  As  soon  as  I 
had  hushed  him  in  my  arms  I  turned  to 
the  woman  with  an  expression  of  great 
concern,  and  asked, 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  Baby's  nose  ? 
See  the  blood !" 

She  looked  surprised  a  little,  and  an- 
swered that  he  struck  it  when  he  fell  from 
the  chair.     But  I  gravely  said, 

"  It  must  be  witches." 

She  glanced  quickly  up  to  my  face,  and 
I  could  see  the  expression  of  half  terror, 


376 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


half  surprise,  that  had  possession  of  hers 
before  her  searching  revealed  to  her  the 
changing  expression  of  mine ;  then  she 
broke  into  a  hearty  laugh  as  she  clearly 
comprehended  my  meaning. 

There  were  a  dozen  or  more  minor  calls 
from  men  about  wood,  women  who  were 
in  trouble  with  their  husbands,  parents 
wanting  us  to  take  their  children,  counsels 
about  a  boy  who  ran  away  because  his  fa- 
ther whipped  him ;  they  were  afraid  that 
he  had  gone  to  the  woods  and  killed  him- 
self. Then  came  the  getting  of  dinner  for 
the  school-goers,  the  earlier  lunching  of 
Kotzie  and  Fred  and  putting  the  latter  to 
bed  for  his  midday  sleep. 

After  dinner  the  room  was  still  full  of 
Indians  wanting  help  in  various  ways. 
Some  had  sick  children  whom  they  wished 
me  to  visit.  It  was  impossible  for  me  to 
leave  home  even  for  a  moment  until  my 
own  little  ones  were  asleep  in  their  beds 
for  the  night  and  their  papa  in  the  house 
to  hearken  should  they  cry. 

In  the  evening  I  took  the  lantern  and 
went  to  the  village.     Ann  and  Fanny  had 


LIFE  IN  ALASKA. 


377 


washed  up  the  dishes,  and  wanted  to  go 
with  me  ;  so  I  gladly  took  them.  We  went 
to  the  little  sick  girl  first.  I  found  her  ly- 
ing curled  up  on  a  little  sheepskin  spread 
on  the  floor  near  the  fire,  and  suffering. 
The  child's  soft,  large  eyes  looked  mourn- 
fully out  from  the  thick,  matted  hair ;  the 
quivering  of  the  dirty  little  mouth  was  al- 
most hidden  by  the  old  blanket  she  drew 
so  tighdy  about  her ;  but  she  saw  the  cakes 
I  slipped  under  it,  and  looked  up  at  me  as 
I  stroked  back  her  hair  and  sang  her  hymns 
in  Kling-get.  There  were  about  thirty  per- 
sons in  the  house,  some  at  work,  others 
idling,  while  the  great  fish,  a  yard  long  and 
nearly  a  foot  through,  hu  g  before  the  blaz- 
ing fire  on  a  string  from  tiie  rafter  above. 
An  old  man  with  a  stick  kept  it  spinning 
around ;  a  pan  beneath  caught  the  drip- 
pings. The  people,  old  and  young,  joined 
in  the  singing ;  then  we  repeated  the  twen- 
ty-third psalm  in  Kling-get.  Her  mother 
said  the  litde  one's  most  frequent  cry  was 
for  "school."  I  gave  directions  for  the 
proper  care  of  the  child,  and  this  morn- 
ing sent  clean  clothes  and  medicine. 


378 


LIFE   IN  ALASKA. 


Our  next  call  was  on  the  old  Chilcoot 
doctor  who  lingers  so  strangely ;  he  has 
been  dying  with  consumption  for  years, 
and  now  is  blind.  He  caught  my  hand 
eagerly,  and  between  his  gasps  for  breath 
called  me  his  mother,  his  grandmother,  the 
good  chief-lady,  etc.,  saying  that  he  wanted 
so  much  to  see  my  face.  I  spoke  to  him 
of  death,  of  God,  the  Saviour  and  heaven  ; 
and  I  told  him  the  story  of  Paul,  whom  God 
made  blind  to  outside  things  because  he 
wished  to  open  the  eyes  of  his  heart,  and 
we  prayed  that  God  would  open  this  poor 
old  man's  spiritual  eyes.  He  professes  to 
believe  in  Christ  and  asked  me  to  cut  his 
hair  off,  saying  that  he  wanted  to  die  right 
and  he  wished  Mr.  Willard  to  bury  his 
body.  This  house  was  also  full  of  peo- 
ple, who  listened  to  the  good  words.  But 
time  fails  me  to  tell  of  the  other  visits. 
All  were,  I  trust,  profitable  and  will  leave 
behind  some  blessing. 

Carrie  M.  Willard. 


INDEX  AND  GLOSSARY. 


[The  Numerals  Refer  to  the  Paces.] 


Adams  (United  States  war- 
steamer),  234,  237. 

Adeline  (small  sail-and-row 
boat  belonging  to  the  Chil- 
cat  mission),  311,  322,  351, 

352,  361. 
Allen  (Sitka  schoolboy),  280. 
Anahootz  (Sitka  chief),  16,  17. 
Animals,  189,  316. 
Apples,  Indian,  330. 
Austin,  Alonzo  E.,  15,  18,  28, 

29.  33,  36,  95.  187,  247,  262. 
Austin,  Mrs.  Alonzo  E.,  ^y^, 

234,  235,241,242,246,278; 

Hospitality  to  the  Willards,  1 3. 
Austin,  Miss  Linnie,  28,  36. 

Beardslee  (United  States  Na- 
vy), Commander  L.  A.,  30, 

Beardslee,  Mrs.  L,  A.,  36. 

Bell,  Church-,  44. 

Berries,  20,  113,  198,  199,  326. 

Bessie  Ann  Frazer  (Chilcat 
schoolgirl),  312,  324,  325, 
327,  341. 


Birds,  189,  225. 

Blarney-stone,  Sitka,  Traditifjn 
concerning,  350, 

Boyd  (mission  station  among 
the  Hoonyah),  44,  95,  247, 
288,  345.     See  IJoonyah. 

CalM'ORNIA     (United     States 

mail-steamer),  19. 
Canoe,  75,  112,  213,  2r4,  2l6, 

221,  224,  225,  226,  242. 
Carvings,  39,  78,  277. 
Chatham  Straits,  40,  287. 
Chilcat,  18,  19,  26,  39,  40,  47, 

49,58,72,83,86,93,94,101, 

no,  132,  134,  144,  145.  »55. 

156,  165,  i68,  170,  1S8,  190, 

221,  227,  232,  234,  237,  241, 

289;  Fighting  among,  14,  79, 

80-82. 
Chilcat  River,  47,  96,  97,  102, 

140,  198,  202,  293,  299. 
Chilcat  Home  at  Haines,  227, 

228,  229,  231,  245,  246,  264, 

354,  362,  368,  372. 


380 


INDEX  AND   GLOSSARY. 


Chilcoot,  47,  50,  53,  65,  66,  75, 
89,  102,  108,  139,  188,  290, 

357.  360. 

Chilcoot  River,  47,  loi,  202. 

Children,  Sale  of,  153. 

Chiibtnias,  158,  159. 

Clah  (Indian  teacher),  49. 

Cla-not  (Chilcal  chief),  67,  69, 
141-144,  169,  170,  172,  311, 
314,  315,  369. 

Climate,  35,  105,  136,  138,  142, 
157.  172,  173-177.  180,  200- 
205,  213,  267,  283,  310.  See 
Snow  and  Sun. 

Clok-won  (upper  Chilcat  vil- 
lage, marked  on  the  map 
"Willard"),66,  77,78,  216, 
219,  226,  227,  295,  317,  353, 
360. 

Co-ek-y  (feast  for  the  dead), 255, 

345- 
Cog-won-tonc  343,  360. 

Corlies,  Rev.  W.  H.  R.,  26,  27, 

95.316,317. 
Corlies,  Mrs.  W.  H.  R,,  26. 
Corwin  (United  States  revenue 

marine  steamer),  236,  238. 
Cremation,  122,  125,  127,  128, 

129,  130, 131,  141,  173-177. 

178-180,  255,  293,  357,  359, 

360. 
Cross  Sound,  288. 
Customs  of  natives  :  Conferring 

a  name,  84;  Sale  of  children, 

152;  Treatment  of  girls,  178, 

»79.  230;  Marriage,  98,  99, 


138,  139,  143,  163,  278  307, 
33S;L)ress,i36,i52,i58, 160, 
161,210,356;  Morning  bath, 
161  ;  Eating,  II3,  I99,  200, 
344;  Making  a  feast,  342; 
Making  peace  in  war, 95, 141- 
146,  165-167,  237,  238;  Sick- 
ness, 109,  1 14, 115,  116,  117, 
118, 119, 120, 121,122;  Feast 
for  the  dead,  255,  345,  Fu- 
neral,  124, 125,126,  131,  249, 
357;  Future  life,  249,  305; 
Murder,  14,  16,  79,80,81,82; 
Family  affection,  162. 

Dead,  Feast  for,  255,  345. 

Deaf  natives,  212. 

De  Groff,  Mr.,  211. 

Dickinson,  George  (white  trad- 
er), 49.  93.  219. 

Dickinson,  Mrs.  George  (inter- 
preter at  Haines),  49,  56,  71, 
75,84,94.  105,159,160,182, 
219,  248,  300,  301,  302,  350, 

369- 
Dickinson,  William,  72. 

Dona-wok  (Chilcat  chief),  50, 
56,  67,  71,  74,  88,  89,  98, 
101,  130,  138,  139,  143,  206, 
214,  224,  225,  306,  311. 

Dress  customs,  136,  152,  158, 
160,  l6l,  210,  356. 

Drowning  regarded  a  great 
evil,  260. 

Dunbar,  Miss  Maggie  J.  (Mrs. 
J.  W.  McFarland),  22,  247. 


INDEX  AM)  a/.oss/tuy, 


381 


Duncan,  Mr.  William,  44,  49- 
Dy-ya  Inlet  (Ty-ya),  188,  214, 
290,  320,  321. 

Earthquake,  217. 

Eating  customs,  113,  199.  200, 

344- 
Education,  Compulsory,  31. 

Family  affection,  162. 
Fanny      (Chilcat      schoolgirl), 
209,210,313,  324.325.  327. 

3(^9- 
Favorite  (private  trading-steam- 
er),  14.   19.    l"»  '^7.    '95. 

196,  211,  213,  220,  238. 
Feast-making,  342. 
Fish,  56,   135,   189,   198,    199. 

206-208,  215,  216,  221,  224, 

286,  321,  326. 
Flowers,  26,  102,  224,  286,  310. 
Funeral  customs,  18,  124,  125, 

126,131,249,357.    SeeCVf- 

viation. 

Girls,  Treatment  of,  178,  179. 

230.  367.  368. 
Glaciers,  105,  139,  217,  326. 
Glass    (United     States     Navy), 

Commander  Henry,  14,  15, 

16,  18,  30,  33,  70,  127. 
Gold,  135,  230. 

Gould,  Miss  Clara  A.,  246,  322. 
Gould,  Rev.  J.  Loomis,  246, 247, 
Gun-un-uh  (interior  tribe),  317. 

See  Slick. 


Hajnks,  Mr?,  V.  E.  H.,  206, 

210,  tl-J,  IV). 
|{aiii«»  (M%mhtt  station  among 

the  CJ<ik»l*),  47,  241,  246, 

247,  2^J»  1'7.  3^>'- 
\\i>yn^\n^'^tt     fan     intoxicating 

drink;,  \(u  Tfh  32,  214,  215, 

360, 
WtMKSnmm  \nSrt,  67,  280. 
n(x>nyaj*,  44,   247,  288,  345. 

Sfc  fh/yt/, 
Houi>t:»,  5;^,  54, 
Hydah  \fi\tP,  25,67,  213. 

jAfKV/N,  ^K^^.,  I<ev.  Sheldon, 
3,  15,  2(,  <K>,  39.  40.  43.  44. 
49.  5>^»  ^»h  ^'7.  ^'8.  94.  95. 
132,  If  J,  iSi,  144.  '53.  '84» 
218,  235,  239,  241,  246,  270, 
316,  322, 

Jackixy»  immum  station  among 
ilj<?  Hy'J»t»«>),  246,  247. 

Jameitz/wwf United  States  man- 
of-yya*/,  I4,  30,  65,  281. 

Jewelry,  SnMye,  33,  39. 

Jill),  SU//^/ kMffj,  143,  145- 

Juneaufjj^yM  mining  camp), 135, 
138,  1%^,  |W>,  196,  197,  211, 
213,  2»$,  216,  217,  220.  231, 

28«,  %(n, 

K^U'i'UU't^,    (Chilcat    chief), 

34S' 
KeiMlaU,  \h  t),.  Rev.  Henry, 

354- 
K-hos-sy  Htfti  Inlet,  290. 


382 


JXD/'IX  AND    a  I.  OSS  A  KY. 


Kill-is-noo  ((ishiny  ami  trading 
post  of  North-western  Trad- 
ing Company),  237, 

Kinney  cannery,  321. 

Kling-get  (language  spoken  by 
all  the  tribes  of  the  Alexan- 
der Archipelago  except  the 
Ilydah),  142. 

Krause,  Drs.  Aurel  and  Arthur, 

135.  190.  193- 

Langdon,  Mrs.  C.  II.,  44. 

Language,  39. 

Lawrence  (boy  at  Sitka),  279, 

280. 
Lindenberg  Harbor,  285,  287. 
Lord's  Supper,  235,  239. 
Lot,  211. 
Lull  (United  States  Navy),Coni. 

niander  Edward  P.,  66,  70. 
Lynn   Channel,  47,   loi,  202, 

288. 
Lyons,  Rev.  G.  W.,  28. 

Mail,  135,  138,  185,  186,  187, 
196,  213,  216,  241.  311,  316, 

317- 
McFarland,  Mrs.  A.  R.,  22,  49, 

246. 

McFarland  Home  (training- 
school  for  girls  at  Fort  Wran- 
gell),  22,  25,  26,  139,  226. 

McFarland,  Rev.  John  W.,247. 

Manufactures,  25,  39. 

Marriage,  98,  99,  138,  139,  143, 
163,  278,  307,  335. 


Matthews,  Miss  Elizabeth  L.^ 
235,  241,  242,  246,  286,  290, 
297,  311,  322,  324,  325,  327, 

350.  367.  3f»8. 
Medicine-men,   47,     107,    109, 
no,  114,  115,  117,  118,  120, 
121,  122,  131,  132,  133,  134, 
146,  179,  237,  238,  258-260, 

345.     See  Witchcraft. 
Merriman  (United  States  Navy), 

Commander,  237,  328. 
Met-lah-kat-lah  (British  mission 

station),  47,  96. 
Miners,    Rescue   of,   320-324; 

Welcome,  353. 
Missions,  Woman's   Executive 

Committee    of     Home,    47, 

245- 

Moses  Jamestown  (Sitka  school- 
boy), 281. 

Mount  Saint  Elias,  21. 

Murder  customs,  14,  16,  79,  80, 
81,  82. 

Nauk  Bay,  206,  207,  224. 
Nauk-y-stih  (Indian  name  given 

to  Mrs.  Willard),  84-87. 
Ned  (Chilcat  schoolboy),  311. 

312,  314,  315,  316,  318,  321, 

325.331.  332,  351- 
North-west  Trading  Company, 

197,  238. 

Oil,  Fish,  57,  112,  113,  199, 

346. 
Owl,  Superstitions  concerning. 


1 


^ 


INDEX  AND    GLOSSARY. 


383 


^ 


320-331 ;  Tradition  of  origin, 
346-350- 

Parkkr  (United  States  Navy), 

Surgeon,  70. 
I'aul,  Louis  and  Tillie  (native 

missionaries),  215-217,  219, 

226,  293,  295,  317,  318. 
Peace-making,     92,     141-146, 

165-167,  237,  238. 
Peril  Strait,  285. 
Philip     (Chilcat     silversmith), 

333-339.  354-3^=o- 
Polygamy,  1 7 1,  335-339- 
Portage  Bay,  47,  loi,  202,  289. 
Potter,  Mrs.  B.  F.,  261. 
Prayer,  Natives'  faith  in,  107, 

108,  109,  no,  306,  307. 
Productions,  73,  135,  198,  199. 

Rankin,  Miss  Kate  A.,  322, 

323- 

Raven,  Superstitions  concern- 
ing, 340- 

Religious  belief  concerning  a 

future  life,  108. 

Retreat  Point,  288. 

Rivers:  Chilcat,  47,96,  97,  102, 
140,  198,  202,  293,  299  ;  Chil- 
coot,  47,  loi,   202;  Yukon, 

231,  321  ;  Pelly,  321. 

Rose  (small  coasting-steamer), 

232,  233,  234,  283,  284. 

Salmon,  56, 105, 113, 135, 296, 
310,  346,  354- 


Scenery,   193,    224,    225,    288, 

289. 
Scholarships  in  mission  schools, 

364- 
Schools:  Russian  (Sitka),  28; 

McKarland  Home,  22,25,26, 
139;  Sheldon  Jackson  Insti- 
tute, 1 5,  29,  30,  153,  154,239, 
270-282,  350;  Ilaines,  49, 
105,  164;  Clok-won,  219; 
Conp- !  ory  attendance,  31. 
Seal,  190. 

Shat-e-ritch  (Chilcat  chief),  66, 

79,  83,  84,  89,  142,  145,  146, 

212,  220,  368. 

Sheep,  Mountain,  107, 

Sheldon  Jackson  Institute  (an 

industrial  training-school  for 

Indian  boys  and  girls),  29,  30, 

153,154,  239,  270-282,350. 

Simpson,  Port  (British  mission 

station),  67,  170. 
Sitka,  15,  19,  27,  29,  39,  67,  89, 
94,  95,   96,    105,    112,   139, 
143,  187,  196,  197,  213,  245, 
247,  264-282,  285,  291,  345, 
346;  Berries,  20;  Vegetables, 
21;  Murders,  16;  Funeral, 18. 
Sitka  Jack,  165,  166,  167,  172. 
Snow,  136,  138,  157,  158,  172- 
177,  198,  200-205,  206,  213, 
224.  267,  354. 
Snow-shoes,  136,  138,  140,  172, 

185,  200,  205. 
Steam-launch,  90, 155,220,224, 
226,  241,361. 


384 


INDEX  AND    GLOSSARY. 


Stick  (interior),  80,  1 49,  168, 
169,  293.     See  dn-un-uh. 

Stickeen  tribe,  26,  39. 

Styles,  Walter  B.,  247,  277. 

Styles,  Mrs.  W.  B.,  95. 

Sun,  Rising  and  setting  of,  20, 
137,  222. 

Symonds  (United  States  N^vy), 
Lieutenant  F.  M.,  30. 

Takoo  tribe,  135. 

Te-nany  (fishing  village),  140, 

188, 
Totems,  79,  343. 
Townsend,  Port,  196. 

Vegetables,  21,  135. 

Wachusetie  (United  States 
war-steamer),    59,    65,    127, 

234- 
Willard,  Rev.  Eugene  S.,9,  15, 

17.  18,57.68,71,75,83,89. 

90,  91,  106,  107,  no,  113, 

120,  124,  126,  127,  131,  139, 

141, 144, 146,  149,  150,  166- 

169,  170,  172,  173,  177,  181, 

182,  188,  209,  218,  219,  226, 

241,  271,  286,  290,  295,  309, 

311.315.316,318,  320-323, 


324,  327,  328,  329,  338,  350, 

378. 
Willard,  Mrs.  Eugene  S.  (I)io. 

graphical  sketch),  8,  215,218. 
Willard,  Carrie  (Kotzie),  239, 

243,  244,  262,  263,  290,  297, 

300,  329,  351,  352. 
Willard,      Frederick      Eugene 

Austin,  239,  241,  243,  262, 

298,  351.  352,  375- 

Willards:  Sickness,  180-183, 
218,219;  Starving,  218,  220- 
223,  231-233;  Abundant  la- 
bors, 373-378. 

Witchcraft,  107,  1 20,  121,  13 1, 
141,  172,  173,  178-180,  205, 
279,  280,  281,  300-305,  330, 
346,  369.    See  Mediciue-mnt. 

Woman's  Executive  Committee 
of  Home  Missions,  47,  245. 

Wrangell,  Fort,  21,  49,  94,  105, 
179,  196,  211,  226,  228,  229, 
246,  247,  318,  322,  345. 

Y'hindastachy  (lower  Chil- 
cat  village),  345,    351,   353, 

360. 
Young,  Rev.  S.  Hall,  25,  27, 

247. 
Yukon  River,  231. 


THE   END. 


